Ayodhya Kaanda Sarasvati perverts the mind of Manthara (a handmaid of queen Kaikeyi); a dialogue between Kaikeyi and Manthara - Chaupais
Ramcharitmanas · Ayodhya Kaanda Sarasvati perverts the mind of Manthara (a handmaid of queen Kaikeyi); a dialogue between Kaikeyi and Manthara · Verse Chaupais 1593
Sanskrit Original
कुबरीं करि कबुली कैकेई। कपट छुरी उर पाहन टेई।। लखइ न रानि निकट दुखु कैंसे। चरइ हरित तिन बलिपसु जैसें।। सुनत बात मृदु अंत कठोरी। देति मनहुँ मधु माहुर घोरी।। कहइ चेरि सुधि अहइ कि नाही। स्वामिनि कहिहु कथा मोहि पाहीं।। दुइ बरदान भूप सन थाती। मागहु आजु जुड़ावहु छाती।। सुतहि राजु रामहि बनवासू। देहु लेहु सब सवति हुलासु।। भूपति राम सपथ जब करई। तब मागेहु जेहिं बचनु न टरई।। होइ अकाजु आजु निसि बीतें। बचनु मोर प्रिय मानेहु जी तें।।
kubarīṃ kari kabulī kaikēī. kapaṭa churī ura pāhana ṭēī.. lakhai na rāni nikaṭa dukhu kaiṃsē. carai harita tina balipasu jaisēṃ.. sunata bāta mṛdu aṃta kaṭhōrī. dēti manahu madhu māhura ghōrī.. kahai cēri sudhi ahai ki nāhī. svāmini kahihu kathā mōhi pāhīṃ.. dui baradāna bhūpa sana thātī. māgahu āju juḍaāvahu chātī.. sutahi rāju rāmahi banavāsū. dēhu lēhu saba savati hulāsu.. bhūpati rāma sapatha jaba karaī. taba māgēhu jēhiṃ bacanu na ṭaraī.. hōi akāju āju nisi bītēṃ. bacanu mōra priya mānēhu jī tēṃ..
Winning over Kaikeyi and treating her as an offering accepted for sacrifice the humpback whetted the knife of trickery on the stone of her heart. The queen, however, like a sacrificial beast who nibbled the green turf, did not foresee the impending calamity. Agreeable to hear, yet painful in consequence, were the words she spoke; it seemed as if she was administering honey mixed with poison. Said the maid-servant, "Do you, or do you not, remember the incident you once told me, my lady? You have in reserve with the king a couple of boons that he once promised you.* Ask for them today and soothe your heart. Bestow sovereignty on your son and an abode in the forest on Rama and rob your co-wives of all their joy. When the king swears by Rama, ask the boons only then, so that the former may not go back upon his word. The scheme will fail if this night is allowed to pass; cherish my words as dearer than life."