उत्तमेनाभिसंयुक्ता हर्षेणार्थपरा सती। राममाता धनं किं नु जनेभ्यः सम्प्रयच्छति
Absorbed in the highest joy and intent on gain, the mother of Rama—what wealth is she distributing to the people?
अतिमात्रं प्रहर्षः किं जनस्यास्य च शंस मे। कारयिष्यति किं वापि सम्प्रहृष्टो महीपतिः
Tell me, what is the reason for this extraordinary happiness among the people? What will the delighted king do?
विदीर्यमाणा हर्षेण धात्री तु परया मुदा। आचचक्षेऽथ कुब्जायै भूयसीं राघवे श्रियम्
Overwhelmed with joy, the nurse, filled with great delight, then told the hunchback of the greater fortune coming to Raghava.
श्वः पुष्येण जितक्रोधं यौवराज्येन चानघम्। राजा दशरथो राममभिषेक्ता हि राघवम्
Tomorrow, under the Pushya star, King Dasharatha will anoint Rama, who has conquered anger and is faultless, as crown prince.
धात्र्यास्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा कुब्जा क्षिप्रममर्षितः। कैलासशिखराकारात् प्रासादादवरोहत
Hearing the nurse’s words, the hunchback, quickly angered, descended from the palace, which was like the peak of Mount Kailasa.
सा दह्यमाना क्रोधेन मन्थरा पापदर्शिनी। शयानामेव कैकेयीमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्
Burning with anger, Manthara, perceiver of evil, spoke these words to Kaikeyi as she lay there:
उत्तिष्ठ मूढे किं शेषे भयं त्वामभिवर्तते। उपप्लुतमघौघेन नात्मानमवबुध्यसे
Rise, fool! Why do you lie there? Danger is coming upon you. Overwhelmed by a flood of misfortune, you do not perceive yourself.
अनिष्टे सुभगाकारे सौभाग्येन विकत्थसे। चलं हि तव सौभाग्यं नद्याः स्रोत इवोष्णगे
Though you appear fortunate, you boast of your good fortune in what is undesirable; your fortune is unsteady, like the current of a river in the hot season.
एवमुक्ता तु कैकेयी रुष्टया परुषं वचः। कुब्जया पापदर्शिन्या विषादमगमत् परम्
Thus addressed with harsh words by the angry, evil-seeing hunchback, Kaikeyi fell into deep distress.
कैकेयी त्वब्रवीत् कुब्जां कच्चित् क्षेमं न मन्थरे। विषण्णवदनां हि त्वां लक्षये भृशदुःखिताम्
Kaikeyi said to the hunchback, 'Is all well, Manthara? For I see you with a troubled face, greatly afflicted.'
मन्थरा तु वचः श्रुत्वा कैकेय्या मधुराक्षरम्। उवाच क्रोधसंयुक्ता वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदा
Hearing Kaikeyi’s gentle words, Manthara, skilled in speech and filled with anger, replied:
सा विषण्णतरा भूत्वा कुब्जा तस्यां हितैषिणी। विषादयन्ती प्रोवाच भेदयन्ती च राघवम्
Becoming even more dejected, the hunchback, wishing her well, spoke to her to cause distress and to alienate her from Raghava.
अक्षयं सुमहद् देवि प्रवृत्तं त्वद्विनाशनम्। रामं दशरथो राजा यौवराज्येऽभिषेक्ष्यति
O queen, a great and unending calamity has begun for you: King Dasharatha will anoint Rama as crown prince.
सास्म्यगाधे भये मग्ना दुःखशोकसमन्विता। दह्यमानानलेनेव त्वद्धितार्थमिहागता
I am plunged in deep fear, filled with sorrow and grief, burning as if by fire, and have come here for your welfare.
तव दुःखेन कैकेयि मम दुःखं महद् भवेत्। त्वद्वृद्धौ मम वृद्धिश्च भवेदिह न संशयः
Kaikeyi, your sorrow will be my great sorrow; your decline will be my decline, and your prosperity will be my prosperity—of this there is no doubt.
नराधिपकुले जाता महिषी त्वं महीपतेः। उग्रत्वं राजधर्माणां कथं देवि न बुध्यसे
Born in a royal family, you are the chief queen of the king; how is it, O queen, that you do not understand the severity of royal duties?
धर्मवादी शठो भर्ता श्लक्ष्णवादी च दारुणः। शुद्धभावेन जानीषे तेनैवमतिसंधिता
Your husband, though he speaks of righteousness, is deceitful; his words are gentle, but his nature is harsh. You, with your pure heart, trust him, and thus you have been thoroughly deceived.
उपस्थितः प्रयुञ्जानस्त्वयि सान्त्वमनर्थकम्। अर्थेनैवाद्य ते भर्ता कौसल्यां योजयिष्यति
Now he approaches you with empty consolations, but in truth, today your husband will unite Kausalya with prosperity.
अपवाह्य तु दुष्टात्मा भरतं तव बन्धुषु। काल्ये स्थापयिता रामं राज्ये निहतकण्टके
That wicked-hearted man, having removed Bharata from among your kin, will soon install Rama in the kingdom, with all obstacles destroyed.
शत्रुः पतिप्रवादेन मात्रेव हितकाम्यया। आशीविष(=सर्प) इवाङ्गेन बाले परिधृतस्त्वया
An enemy, under the guise of a husband, and a mother who claims to wish well, is like a venomous serpent embraced by a child—so have you been held.
यथा हि कुर्याच्छत्रुर्वा सर्पो वा प्रत्युपेक्षितः। राज्ञा दशरथेनाद्य सपुत्रा त्वं तथा कृता
Just as an enemy or a neglected serpent would act, so today King Dasharatha has treated you and your son.
पापेनानृतसान्त्वेन बाले नित्यं सुखोचिता। रामं स्थापयता राज्ये सानुबन्धा हता ह्यसि
O naive one, accustomed always to comfort, you have been destroyed along with your kin by the sinful one who, with false soothing words, is placing Rama on the throne.
सा प्राप्तकालं कैकेयि क्षिप्रं कुरु हितं तव। त्रायस्व पुत्रमात्मानं मां च विस्मयदर्शने
Therefore, Kaikeyi, act quickly for your own good at this opportune time; save your son, yourself, and me, who am witnessing this with astonishment.
मन्थराया वचः श्रुत्वा शयनात् सा शुभानना। उत्तस्थौ हर्षसम्पूर्णा चन्द्रलेखेव शारदी
Hearing Manthara's words, that beautiful-faced woman rose from her bed, filled with joy, like the crescent moon in autumn.
अतीव सा तु संतुष्टा कैकेयी विस्मयान्विता। दिव्यमाभरणं तस्यै कुब्जायै प्रददौ शुभम्
Kaikeyi, exceedingly pleased and filled with wonder, gave that hunchbacked woman a splendid divine ornament.
दत्त्वा त्वाभरणं तस्यै कुब्जायै प्रमदोत्तमा। कैकेयी मन्थरां हृष्टा पुनरेवाब्रवीदिदम्
Having given the ornament to the hunchbacked woman, the excellent lady Kaikeyi, delighted, spoke again to Manthara.
इदं तु मन्थरे मह्यमाख्यातं परमं प्रियम्। एतन्मे प्रियमाख्यातं किं वा भूयः करोमि ते
"This most pleasing news you have told me, Manthara, is truly dear to me. Tell me what more I can do for you, since you have brought me such joy."
रामे वा भरते वाहं विशेषं नोपलक्षये। तस्मात् तुष्टास्मि यद् राजा रामं राज्येऽभिषेक्ष्यति
"I see no difference between Rama and Bharata; therefore, I am pleased that the king will anoint Rama as heir to the throne."
न मे परं किंचिदितो वरं पुनः प्रियं प्रियार्हे सुवचं वचोऽमृतम्। तथा ह्यवोचस्त्वमतः प्रियोत्तरं वरं परं ते प्रददामि तं वृणु
"There is no greater boon for me than this. You, who are worthy of affection, have spoken sweet and delightful words, like nectar. Since you have spoken thus, I grant you the highest and best boon—choose what you desire."
thumb|अष्टमः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे अयोध्याकाण्डे अष्टमः सर्गः ॥२-
Listen now to the eighth chapter in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, in the Ayodhyā section.