Mantharā, the hunchbacked maidservant, spoke urgently and cunningly to Queen Kaikeyī. "O beautiful one," she began, "not all the king’s sons can remain in the kingdom. If every prince were crowned, chaos would surely follow. That is why, O faultless Kaikeyī, kings always entrust the kingdom to the eldest son, even if the others are equally virtuous. "But think, if this comes to pass, your own son will be cast aside—bereft of comfort, stripped of royal privilege, as if orphaned. I have come here out of loyalty to you, yet you do not recognize my devotion. You ought to reward me for advancing your cause over your rival, Kausalyā. "Mark my words: once Rāma secures the unchallenged throne, he will send Bharata far away—perhaps to another land, or even to his death. When Bharata was a child, you did not keep him close to his maternal uncle. Closeness breeds affection, even among those who cannot move. Because of this, Shatrughna too has become just like Bharata—just as Lakṣmaṇa follows Rāma, so does Shatrughna follow Bharata. "It is said that a tree, destined to be felled by woodsmen, is first stripped of its branches by arrows out of fear, simply because it stands nearby. In the same way, Rāma will surely protect Lakṣmaṇa—everyone knows of their brotherly bond, as famed as that of the divine Aśvins. Rāma will never harm Lakṣmaṇa; but as for Bharata, Rāma might indeed wrong him—there can be no doubt. "Therefore, let Rāma go to the forest from the royal palace. This pleases me, and it is greatly to your advantage as well. Only then will your family’s welfare be assured, if Bharata receives the ancestral kingdom in accordance with righteousness. Bharata, so used to comfort, is a natural enemy of Rāma. How will he, deprived of prosperity, live under the rule of one who possesses everything? Just as an elephant leader is driven away in the forest by a lion, so must you protect Bharata, who is overshadowed by Rāma. "Remember, once, in your pride over your good fortune, you rejected Rāma’s mother, your co-wife. How could she not bear enmity toward you? When Rāma rules the earth, adorned with treasures and mountains, then you—and your sorrowful Bharata—will know only defeat and misfortune. When Rāma gains the kingdom, Bharata will surely be lost. Therefore, think of your son’s inheritance, and the reason for Rāma’s exile." As Mantharā’s words poured forth, Kaikeyī’s face blazed with anger. She exhaled a long, hot breath and replied fiercely, "Today, I will send Rāma to the forest, and I will see Bharata swiftly anointed as prince. Consider now how this can be accomplished, so that Bharata receives the kingdom and Rāma does not, by any means." Mantharā, ever scheming, replied, "Listen closely, Kaikeyī, and heed my words if you truly wish for your son to rule alone. Why do you not recall—or why do you hide—what concerns your own advantage? If you wish to hear what I have to say, then listen well and act as I instruct." Hearing this, Kaikeyī rose a little from her well-spread bed and spoke, eager for Mantharā’s counsel. Mantharā, intent on harming Rāma, continued, "Long ago, when the gods and demons waged war, your husband Daśaratha brought you along to aid the lord of the gods. You traveled south toward Daṇḍaka, to the city of Vaijayantam, where the shark-banner flew. "There, a mighty demon named Śambara—master of a hundred magical illusions—fought Indra and could not be defeated by the gods. In that terrible battle, the demons, having driven away the men, would slay the wounded and sleeping at night. King Daśaratha fought valiantly, his arms shattered by weapons. O queen, you carried your unconscious husband from the battlefield and protected him, though wounded yourself. "Pleased by your devotion, your husband granted you two boons, saying, ‘Whenever you wish, you may claim them.’ At the time, you replied, ‘I will accept them when I desire,’ and your noble husband agreed. I did not know of this until you once told me, O queen. Out of affection for you, I have kept this story in my heart. "Now is the time to use those boons. Prevent the preparations for Rāma’s consecration and turn them back. Ask your husband for these two boons: the anointing of Bharata, and the exile of Rāma for fourteen years. For those fourteen years, while Rāma lives in the forest, your son—steadfast in the people’s affection—will become firmly established on the throne. "Today, enter the chamber of anger as if furious with the king, and remain hidden on the ground in soiled garments. Do not look at him, nor speak to him. When the king, longing for you and filled with sorrow, comes to you, weep but do not address him." Thus, Mantharā’s poisonous counsel took root in Kaikeyī’s heart, setting in motion the events that would change the destiny of Ayodhyā.