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.
मन्थरा त्वभ्यसूय्यैनामुत्सृज्याभरणं हि तत्। उवाचेदं ततो वाक्यं कोपदुःखसमन्विता
But Manthara, envious, cast aside the ornament and, filled with anger and sorrow, spoke these words.
हर्षं किमर्थमस्थाने कृतवत्यसि बालिशे। शोकसागरमध्यस्थं नात्मानमवबुध्यसे
"Why have you, foolish one, rejoiced without cause? Do you not realize that you are in the midst of an ocean of sorrow?"
मनसा प्रसहामि त्वां देवि दुःखार्दिता सती। यच्छोचितव्ये हृष्टासि प्राप्य त्वं व्यसनं महत्
"Though I am overwhelmed by grief, I restrain myself for your sake, O queen. Why are you joyful when you should be mourning, having encountered such great misfortune?"
शोचामि दुर्मतित्वं ते का हि प्राज्ञा प्रहर्षयेत्। अरेः सपत्नीपुत्रस्य वृद्धिं मृत्योरिवागताम्
"I grieve for your lack of understanding. What wise woman would rejoice at the rise of a rival wife's son, as if death itself had come?"
भरतादेव रामस्य राज्यसाधारणाद् भयम्। तद् विचिन्त्य विषण्णास्मि भयं भीताद्धि जायते
It is out of fear for Rāma, not just for Bharata, regarding the sharing of the kingdom; having considered this, I am distressed, for fear arises from one who is afraid.
लक्ष्मणो हि महाबाहू रामं सर्वात्मना गतः। शत्रुघ्नश्चापि भरतं काकुत्स्थं लक्ष्मणो यथा
For mighty-armed Lakṣmaṇa is wholly devoted to Rāma, and likewise, Śatrughna is to Bharata as Lakṣmaṇa is to the scion of Kakutstha.
प्रत्यासन्नक्रमेणापि भरतस्यैव भामिनि। राज्यक्रमो विसृष्टस्तु तयोस्तावद्यवीयसोः
Even though, O beautiful one, the succession should have come to Bharata by the order of proximity, the royal succession has been assigned to those two who are younger.
सुभगा किल कौसल्या यस्याः पुत्रोऽभिषेक्ष्यते। यौवराज्येन महता श्वः पुष्येण द्विजोत्तमैः
Indeed, fortunate is Kausalyā, whose son will be consecrated tomorrow to the great office of crown prince, under the Pushya constellation, by the foremost of Brāhmaṇas.
प्राप्तां वसुमतीं प्रीतिं प्रतीतां हतविद्विषम्। उपस्थास्यसि कौसल्यां दासीवत् त्वं कृताञ्जलिः
When the earth, filled with joy and confidence, is won and enemies are subdued, you will attend upon Kausalyā with joined palms, like a servant.
एवं च त्वं सहास्माभिस्तस्याः प्रेष्या भविष्यसि। पुत्रश्च तव रामस्य प्रेष्यत्वं हि गमिष्यति
Thus, together with us, you will become her attendant, and your son will become a servant to Rāma.
हृष्टाः खलु भविष्यन्ति रामस्य परमाः स्त्रियः। अप्रहृष्टा भविष्यन्ति स्नुषास्ते भरतक्षये
Surely, Rāma's chief wives will be delighted, while your daughters-in-law will not rejoice at Bharata's decline.
तां दृष्ट्वा परमप्रीतां ब्रुवन्तीं मन्थरां ततः। रामस्यैव गुणान् देवी कैकेयी प्रशशंस ह
Seeing Mantharā speaking thus, filled with supreme satisfaction, Queen Kaikeyī then praised only Rāma's virtues.
धमर्ज्ञो गुणवान् दान्तः कृतज्ञः सत्यवान् शुचिः। रामो राजसुतो ज्येष्ठो यौवराज्यमतोऽर्हति
Rāma, the eldest son of the king, knows righteousness, is virtuous, self-controlled, grateful, truthful, and pure; therefore, he deserves the succession.
भ्रातॄन् भृत्यांश्च दीर्घायुः पितृवत् पालयिष्यति। संतप्यसे कथं कुब्जे श्रुत्वा रामाभिषेचनम्
He, long-lived, will protect his brothers and servants like a father; so why, O hunchback, are you troubled upon hearing of Rāma's consecration?
भरतश्चापि रामस्य ध्रुवं वर्षशतात् परम्। पितृपैतामहं राज्यमवाप्स्यति नरर्षभः
And surely, after a hundred years, Bharata too, the best of men, will obtain the kingdom of his father and grandfather from Rāma.
सा त्वमभ्युदये प्राप्ते दह्यमानेव मन्थरे। भविष्यति च कल्याणे किमिदं परितप्यसे
So, when prosperity has come and happiness is at hand, why, Mantharā, do you burn within and grieve at this good fortune?
यथा वै भरतो मान्यस्तथा भूयोऽपि राघवः। कौसल्यातोऽतिरिक्तं च मम शुश्रूषते बहु
Just as Bharata is honored, so too is Rāghava even more; besides Kausalyā, he serves me greatly.
राज्यं यदि हि रामस्य भरतस्यापि तत् तदा। मन्यते हि यथाऽऽत्मानं यथा भ्रातॄंस्तु राघवः
If the kingdom is Rāma's, it is also Bharata's; for Rāghava regards his brothers as himself.
कैकेय्या वचनं श्रुत्वा मन्थरा भृशदुःखिता। दीर्घमुष्णं विनिःश्वस्य कैकेयीमिदमब्रवीत्
Hearing Kaikeyī's words, Mantharā, deeply distressed, sighed long and hot, and spoke to Kaikeyī as follows:
अनर्थदर्शिनी मौर्ख्यान्नात्मानमवबुध्यसे। शोकव्यसनविस्तीर्णे मज्जन्ती दुःखसागरे
Because of your foolishness, you do not see misfortune, nor do you understand yourself, sinking in a sea of sorrow and calamity.
भविता राघवो राजा राघवस्य च यः सुतः। राजवंशात्तु भरतः कैकेयि परिहास्यते
Rāghava will become king, and his son after him; but Bharata, O Kaikeyī, will be cast aside from the royal line.
नहि राज्ञः सुताः सर्वे राज्ये तिष्ठन्ति भामिनि। स्थाप्यमानेषु सर्वेषु सुमहाननयो भवेत्
For, O beautiful one, not all the king's sons remain in the kingdom; if all were installed, there would be great disorder.
तस्माज्ज्येष्ठे हि कैकेयि राज्यतन्त्राणि पार्थिवाः। स्थापयन्त्यनवद्याङ्गि गुणवत्स्वितरेष्वपि
Therefore, O faultless one, kings always entrust the affairs of the kingdom to the eldest, even if the others are also virtuous.
असावत्यन्तनिर्भग्नस्तव पुत्रो भविष्यति। अनाथवत् सुखेभ्यश्च राजवंशाच्च वत्सले
Your son will become utterly broken, as if orphaned, deprived of comforts and the royal lineage, O affectionate one.
साहं त्वदर्थे सम्प्राप्ता त्वं तु मां नावबुद्ध्यसे। सपत्निवृद्धौ या मे त्वं प्रदेयं दातुमर्हसि
I have come here for your sake, but you do not recognize me; you ought to give me the reward I deserve for increasing your advantage over your co-wife.