Mantharā, ever scheming, addressed Kaikeyī with earnestness: “If you wish to hear what I have to say, O playful one, then listen carefully. I will tell you, and having heard, you should act accordingly.” Hearing these words, Kaikeyī stirred a little from her well-spread bed and replied, eager to know what Mantharā would reveal. Thus prompted by the queen, Mantharā—whose mind was bent on mischief and who sought to harm Rāma—spoke these words to Kaikeyī. She began by recalling a time long ago, during the great war between the gods and the demons. In that ancient battle, your husband, King Daśaratha, together with the royal sages, took you with him to assist the Lord of the Gods. Kaikeyī, you journeyed southward toward Daṇḍaka, to the city of Vaijayantam, the place where the banner adorned with a shark was raised. There, a formidable demon named Śambara, master of a hundred magical illusions, fought fiercely against Indra. Śambara was undefeated by the hosts of gods, and the battle raged with great intensity. The demons, having driven away the men, would descend at night to kill the wounded and the sleeping with merciless force. It was in that dreadful conflict that King Daśaratha fought valiantly against the demons, his mighty arms battered and shattered by weapons. O queen, when your husband fell unconscious on the battlefield, you yourself carried him away, protecting him even as he lay wounded by weapons. Pleased with your devotion, Daśaratha granted you two boons, O beautiful one, saying, “Whenever you wish, you may claim them.” At that time, you replied, “I will accept them when I desire,” and your great-souled husband agreed to your wish. Until you told me before, I was unaware of this, O queen. Out of affection for you, I have kept this story in my heart. Now, it is time to act: prevent the preparations for Rāma’s consecration and turn them back. Ask your husband for those two boons he promised: let Bharata be anointed as king, and let Rāma be exiled to the forest for fourteen years. For those fourteen years, while Rāma dwells in the wilderness, your son—steadfast in the people’s affection—will become firmly established as king. Today, enter the chamber of anger, as though enraged with the son of the lord of horses, and remain hidden there on the ground, clad in soiled garments. Do not look upon your husband, nor speak to him. When the king, longing for you and filled with sorrow, comes to you, remain weeping but do not address him. You are always dear to your husband—of this I have no doubt. For your sake, the great king would even enter the fire. He cannot become angry with you, nor can he bear to look upon you when you are angry; for your sake, the king would even give up his life. The king cannot transgress your word. Understand, with your simple nature, the power of your own good fortune. King Daśaratha would offer you pearls, gems, gold, and various jewels, but do not set your heart on these. Instead, remind him of the two boons he granted you during that battle between gods and demons—those promises must not be broken, O noble lady. When Rāghava himself raises you up, and the great king is present, then choose your boon. Let Rāma’s exile be for fourteen years—nine and five—and let Bharata be made king on earth, O bull among kings. For those fourteen years while Rāma dwells in the forest, your son will grow strong, take root, and remain established. O queen, ask for this boon—the exile of Rāma. Thus, all your son’s desires will be fulfilled, O desirous one. With Rāma exiled, he will no longer be Rāma in the eyes of the people, and Bharata, free from rivals, will become king for you. By the time Rāma returns from the forest, your son will be firmly rooted in power, both within and without. Surrounded by friends, self-possessed, and supported by loyal men, your son will be secure, and I believe the king will be without fear when the time comes. Restrain and turn back the king from his resolve to anoint Rāma. You have been led by others to accept misfortune disguised as fortune. Delighted and convinced by Mantharā’s words, Kaikeyī spoke with gratitude, for the hunchback’s counsel had swayed her heart like a young girl’s. Kaikeyī, astonished and radiant in her beauty, said, “I do not disregard your wisdom, you who speak what is best among the best. Among all hunchbacks on earth, you are supreme in discernment; you alone are ever devoted and well-wishing towards my interests. I could not have understood what the king intended, O hunchback, for there are hunchbacks who are ill-disposed, crooked, and exceedingly wicked. But you are lovely to behold, bent like a lotus by the wind; your chest rises from your shoulders, firmly set within your breast. Below, your calm belly is modest like a well-formed navel; your hips are full, and your breasts beautifully rounded. Your face is pure as the spotless moon—indeed, you shine, Mantharā; your polished hips are adorned with a jeweled girdle. Your thighs are well-set, and both feet are long and extended; you, Mantharā, clad in fine linen, have graceful thighs. When you walk before me, O exceedingly lovely one, you shine; the thousand magical arts that were with Śambara, lord of asuras—those arts have entered your heart, and thousands more besides. That very back, long and curved like a chariot’s yoke, is yours. Wisdom, knowledge of statecraft, and magical arts all dwell in you. Here, O hunchback, I will bestow upon you a golden garland as a token of my gratitude.