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Hari Om.
Let us begin the eighth sarga of the ayOdhyakAnDam with offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
While citizens of ayOdhya celebrated the proposed crowning of rAma as the prince regent with unbridled enthusiasm and excitement, the hunchbacked royal maid of queen kaikEyi was upset at this proposal and was distressed to see the well decorated ayOdhya and happy citizens thronging the streets. She at once descended upon the royal abode of queen kaikEyi and began accusing her as being silly and childish to be allowing the crowning of rAma. She seeds poison in the mind of the queen. kaikEyi is not convinced. She expresses happiness and gifts an ornament to the hunchback for bringing in the good news of the crowning of rAma. The hunchback is not amused. Onwards…
The hunchbacked maid manthara spurned the gift given by kaikEyi and lashed out being in distress and anger at the queen kakikEyi. She said –
“O foolish one, your joy is totally misplaced! You do not realize that you are right in the middle of an ocean of grief. kaikEyi, I am indeed laughing at your silly nature who is rejoicing at this time of grief. Which wise woman will rejoice at the prospect of enemy-like co-wife’s son being elevated? I pity your silly thinking!
In matters of heirdom bharata stands as much a chance as rAma does while the younger two lakshmaNa and Satrughna do not stand a chance. They have surrendered to rAma and bharata respectively. Therefore the source of rAma’s fear is indeed bharata. rAma is highly capable of leading and is decisive and will succeed as a king. I shudder think of bharata’s fate!
kausalya is fortunate indeed that her son will be crowned tomorrow. You will be subservient to her with folded palms attending on her needs. With you being so, your son will also turn subservient to rAma. The women wanting the welfare of rAma will be thrilled indeed while your daughter in law will lead a pitiful life with the decline of bharata”!
Having heard the crooked monologue of manthara, kaikEyi interrupted her and began to extol rAma’s virtues.
rAma is righteous, self-restrained, truthful, grateful and pure, having been taught by elders and gurus. Moreover, he is the eldest son of the king and rightfully deserves the throne. He will look after his people and brothers like a father. Why, O hunchback, are you so aggrieved at the news of rAma’s crowning? After a hundred year’s of rAma’s rule, bharata will rule the kingdom. We have enjoyed prosperity, then and now and will continue to do so. rAma is indeed worthier than bharata for being the heir apparent of this kingdom. rAma attends to me even more scrupulously than he attends to his own mother kausalya.
यथा मे भरतो मान्यस्तथा भूयोऽपि राघवः।
कौशल्यातोऽतिरिक्तं च सोऽनुशुश्रूषते हि माम्।।2.8.18।।
rAma regards his brothers as his very self. Therefore the kingdom that is his will equally belong to his brothers”.
The maid manthara was totally dejected to listen to this counter argument from kaikEyi about the greatness of rAma. She stepped up her offensive and said –
“You are sinking in the ever widening ocean of grief replete with troubles and tears and yet you are pretty unaware of what is in store for you. Once rAma rules as king, his sons will inherit the kingdom from him. Not all the sons are appointed as kings as that will bring in utter chaos. That is the reason why kings choose either the eldest or the fittest to be the heir apparent. Your son will be forever debarred from royalty. He will be upset and broken hearted. You do not understand the welfare of yours that I am concerned about, so much so that you are conferring a gift on me when your co-wife is achieving prosperity!
O kaikEyi, know it to be certain, once rAma inherits the kingdom in order to make his path thornless, he will banish bharata either from the kingdom or get rid of him totally. You have sent bharata off to his maternal uncle’s place right from his childhood. Satrughna has also followed him just like lakshmaNa has followed and taken refuge in rAma. Proximity breeds affection even among inanimate objects, [likewise, distance causes indifference]. Have you heard of the saying that a tree intended to be felled off by the forest dwellers is not hurt due to the entanglement by a type of wild grass out of fear! [manthara hints that bharata would not have been hurt he were around now!]
The mutual protection that rAma and lakshmaNa offer to each other and their fraternal feelings are well known all over the world. Therefore while rAma will cause no harm to lakshmaNa, there is no doubt at all that he will harm bharata.
If bharata rightfully inherits the kingdom from his father, it will be good for you and your relatives. He is the natural enemy to rAma in this matter. He deserves comforts and yet imagine how his life would be as a dependent on rAma and being bereft of wealth. Like a lion marauding an elephant, rAma will torment bharata.
Further, think of those old times when you disregarded kausalya due to your pride in being the darling queen of king daSaratha. She is not going to take it lightly and will surely turn tables on you.
Seeing all these possibilities, it will perhaps be better if your son heads straight to the forest from the royal comforts of his uncle’s place [rather than come here and suffer at the hands of rAma].
As rAma assumes the unquestioned ownership of this land, the cities and forests, bharata and you will lead a miserable life falling into utter disgrace. Therefore, think of a plan to install your son as the heir apparent and cause banishment of the other one (rAma)”!
Here we conclude the eighth sarga of the ayOdhya kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
Next: 2.9. Malefic maid and the gullible mistress
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rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 