Mantharā, filled with agitation, confronted Queen Kaikeyī, questioning her joy. "Why, foolish one, do you rejoice without reason? Can you not see that you are surrounded by an ocean of sorrow?" she demanded. "Though I am overwhelmed with grief, I restrain my feelings for your sake, O queen. Why do you celebrate when you should mourn, having encountered such great misfortune?" Mantharā lamented Kaikeyī's lack of understanding. "What wise woman would rejoice at the rise of a rival wife's son, as if death itself had come? My distress is not only for Bharata, but also for Rāma—regarding the sharing of the kingdom. I have considered this carefully, and fear arises in one who is truly afraid." She continued, "Mighty-armed Lakṣmaṇa is wholly devoted to Rāma, just as Śatrughna is to Bharata. Even though, O beautiful one, by right of age the royal succession should have come to Bharata, it has instead been assigned to the younger sons." Mantharā’s voice grew heavy with concern. "Fortunate indeed is Kausalyā, whose son will tomorrow be consecrated as crown prince under the Pushya constellation by the foremost of Brāhmaṇas. When the earth, filled with joy and confidence, is won and enemies subdued, you will have to serve Kausalyā with joined palms, like a servant. Together with us, you will become her attendant, and your son will serve Rāma." She warned further, "Rāma's chief wives will be delighted, while your daughters-in-law will not rejoice at Bharata's decline." As Mantharā spoke with such satisfaction, Kaikeyī, undisturbed, praised Rāma’s virtues. "Rāma, the eldest son of the king, knows righteousness. He is virtuous, self-controlled, grateful, truthful, and pure; therefore, he deserves the succession. He will protect his brothers and servants like a father, so why, O hunchback, are you troubled by his consecration?" Kaikeyī tried to reassure Mantharā, saying, "Surely, after a hundred years, Bharata too, the best of men, will inherit the kingdom from Rāma. So, when prosperity and happiness are at hand, why do you grieve at this good fortune? Rāghava honors Bharata as much as himself, and besides Kausalyā, he serves me greatly. If the kingdom is Rāma's, it is also Bharata's, for Rāghava regards his brothers as himself." But Mantharā, deeply distressed by Kaikeyī’s words, sighed long and hot, and spoke again. "Because of your foolishness, you do not see the misfortune before you, nor do you understand yourself, sinking in a sea of sorrow and calamity. Rāghava will become king, and his son after him, but Bharata, O Kaikeyī, will be cast aside from the royal line. Not all the king's sons remain in the kingdom; if all were installed, there would be great disorder. Therefore, kings always entrust the affairs of the kingdom to the eldest, even if the others are virtuous." She warned, "Your son will become utterly broken, as if orphaned, deprived of comforts and the royal lineage, O affectionate one. I have come here for your sake, but you do not recognize my loyalty; you ought to reward me for seeking your advantage over your co-wife. Surely, if Rāma gains the kingdom unchallenged, he will send Bharata away to a distant land, or even to another world." Mantharā reminded Kaikeyī, "When Bharata was a child, you did not keep him close to his maternal uncle; closeness breeds affection, even among the immovable. Because of Bharata, Shatrughna too has become just like him; just as Lakṣmaṇa follows Rāma, so does Shatrughna follow Bharata." She gave an analogy: "It is heard that a tree, meant to be cut down by forest dwellers, is stripped of its branches by arrows out of great fear due to its nearness. Rāma will surely protect Lakṣmaṇa—their brotherhood is world-renowned, like that of the Aśvins. Therefore, Rāma will not commit any wrong against Lakṣmaṇa; but against Bharata, there is no such certainty." Mantharā pressed her point. "Therefore, let Rāghava go to the forest from the royal palace; this is what pleases me, and it is greatly beneficial for you. In this way, your family’s welfare will be secured, if Bharata obtains the ancestral kingdom in accordance with righteousness. That boy, accustomed to comfort, is a natural enemy of Rāma; how will he, deprived of prosperity, live under the control of one who has everything?" She compared the situation to the forest, "Just as a leader of elephants is chased by a lion, so must you protect Bharata, who is being overshadowed by Rāma. Once, in your pride at your good fortune, you rejected Rāma’s mother, your co-wife; how will she not harbor enmity toward you? When Rāma gains the earth, adorned with treasures and mountains, you will suffer misfortune and defeat, together with the sorrowful Bharata. When Rāma gains the earth, Bharata will surely be lost; therefore, consider the kingdom for your own son, and the reason for the other's exile." At this point, the next part of the story unfolds: let the ninth chapter be heard. Thus addressed, Kaikeyī’s face blazed with anger. She exhaled a long, hot breath and spoke to Mantharā with resolve: "Today, I will quickly send Rāma from here to the forest, and I will swiftly anoint Bharata for the princely succession.