Manthara, with cunning intent, counseled Kaikeyi with careful instructions: “Do not look upon the king, nor speak to him when he comes to you, longing for your presence and filled with sorrow. Instead, remain weeping, but let your silence speak for you. You are always dear to your husband—of this I have no doubt. For your sake, the great King Daśaratha would even enter the fire itself. He cannot become angry with you, nor can he bear to look upon you when you are upset; truly, for your sake, the king would even give up his own life. The king cannot transgress your word. With your gentle and simple nature, you must understand the power that your own good fortune gives you. “King Daśaratha would offer you pearls, gems, gold, and every kind of jewel, but do not set your heart on these. Instead, recall to him the two boons he once granted you during the great battle between gods and demons. Remind him, noble lady, for that promise must not be broken. When Rāghava himself lifts you up and the king is present, then is the moment to ask for your boon. “Request that Rāma be exiled for fourteen years—nine and five—and that Bharata be made king of the earth, O bull among kings. For those fourteen years while Rāma dwells in the forest, your son will grow strong, take root, and become firmly established. O queen, ask for this boon—the exile of Rāma—and all your son’s desires will be fulfilled. With Rāma sent away, he will no longer be Rāma here, and Bharata, free from enemies, will become king for you. “By the time Rāma returns from the forest, your son will be firmly rooted both within and without. Surrounded by friends, self-possessed, and attended by loyal men, Bharata will be secure, and I believe the king will be without fear when the time comes. Restrain the king and turn him back from his resolve to anoint Rāma. You have been led by others to accept misfortune in the guise of fortune.” Delighted and convinced by these words, Kaikeyi spoke to Manthara, for the hunchback’s counsel had turned her heart, as if she were a young girl easily led astray. Astonished and radiant, Kaikeyi 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, and you alone are ever devoted and well-wishing towards my interests. I would 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. 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, Manthara; your polished hips are adorned with a jeweled girdle. Your thighs are well-set, and both feet are long and extended; you, Manthara, 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 Shambara, 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. When Bharata is anointed and Rāghava has gone to the forest, O beautiful one, I will anoint you with pure, well-refined gold. When you have achieved your desire and are delighted, I will smear your back with gold, and on your face place a beautiful, jeweled tilaka. I will have splendid ornaments made for you, O hunchback; dressed in fine garments, you will move about like a goddess. With a face shining like the moon and incomparable beauty, you will walk with a noble gait, making your rivals envious. Other hunchbacks, adorned with all ornaments, will serve at your feet, just as you have always served at mine.” Thus praised, Kaikeyi spoke these words to Manthara as she lay upon a pure couch, radiant like a flame upon the altar. “When the water is gone, a bridge is useless, O blessed one; arise, do what is auspicious, and seek out the king.” Thus encouraged, the queen—her eyes wide and unspoiled by pride in her good fortune—went with Manthara to the chamber of anger. There, the noble lady, worthy of the finest, removed her hundreds of thousands of pearl necklaces and her splendid ornaments. Golden-hued and under the sway of Manthara’s words, Kaikeyi sat down on the ground and spoke to her confidante: “Here, O hunchback, you may tell the king that I am dead; but when Rāghava goes to the forest, Bharata will obtain the kingdom. I have no desire for gold, nor for jewels, nor for food and drink; this is the end of my life if Rāma is anointed.” Then Manthara, emboldened, addressed the queen again with strong words—words both helpful and harmful to Bharata’s mother concerning Rāma: “If Rāghava surely attains this kingdom, then you and your son will suffer. Therefore, O noble lady, strive so that your son Bharata will be anointed.” Thus, deeply wounded by Manthara and pierced again and again by her sharp words, the queen, placing her hands on her heart in great astonishment, angrily reproached the hunchback again and again.