SECTION IX.
Thus addressed, Kaikeyi, with her countenance flaming in wrath, sighing hot and hard, spoke unto Mantharā, saying,— "Even this very day will I speedily send Rāma into the forest and without delay install Bharata in the royal heir- apparentship. Do thou now see by what means I can effect this. Bharata must obtain the kingdom and never Rāma." Thus addressed by the noble one, the. wicked-minded Mantharā, envious of Rāma's interest, thus spoke unto Kaikeyi,—"Ah! O Kaikeyi, consider: Listen to my words, telling thee how thy son alone will obtain the kingdom. Dost thou not remember, O Kaikeyi, or concealest although remembering, wishing to hear from me of the means for thy welfare which thou thyself hadst before communicated unto me? If, O dalliance loving damsel, it is thy wish to hear it as told by me, listen thou, I will tell it thee. And having heard it, do thou act accordingly." Hearing Mantharā's words, Kaikeyi raised herself a little from her tastefully spread bed, and said,—"Do thou tell me the means. By what means, O Mantharā, Bharata will gain the kingdom, and in no wise Rāma." Thus addressed by the worshipful one, the wicked- minded Mantharā,—envying Rāma's interest, thus spoke unto Kaikeyi:—"Formerly during the wars of the gods and Asuras, thy husband taking thee along, went with the royal saints for the purpose of assisting the king of the celestials. O Kaikeyi, in Dandaka, situated towards the south, there is the city known by the name of Vaijayanta, where dwelt Timidhvaja, otherwise called Samvara, —possessed of an hundred conjurations, and a mighty Asura. That unreproved one gave battle unto Sakra accompanied by the celestials. And in that mighty conflict the Rākshasas during the night used to drag by main force persons asleep having their bodies cut all over, and kill them. Then King Daçarātha warred with the Asuras most heroically. And that mighty armed one, O worshipful lady, losing his senses in consequence of wounds received from weapons, was removed from the field by thee. In that imminent danger, thy husband, sadly cut by weapons, was preserved by thee. Thereupon gratified, he, O, thou of gracious presence, granted thee two boons. Whereupon thou didst say,—'I shall receive from my lord the boon whenever I shall wish.' Thereupon that high-souled one said,—'So be it.' I did not know anything about this, O respected one; and it was thou who didst formerly communicate this (unto me). And it is because I bear affection unto thee that I have not forgotten it. Now do thou forcibly make the monarch desist from installing Rāma; and ask thy husband for these two boons,—the installation of Bharata, and the exile of Rāma into the woods for fourteen years. On Rāma having been banished into the woods for fourteen years, thy son securing the affections of subjects, will be firmly established (on the throne). Entering the anger-chamber to day, do thou, O daughter of Açwapati, clad in soiled garment, lie down on the uncovered floor. Do not look at him, nor speak to him aught. Do thou on beholding the lord of the earth, over-whelmed with grief, weep only. Thou hast always been the favorite wife of thy husband. Of this I have not the least doubt. For thy sake the monarch can enter into a flame. He can never anger thee, nor can he eye thee when angered. For compassing thy pleasure the king can renounce life itself. Therefore the monarch can never set aside thy word. O senseless lady, do thou now reflect upon the strength of thy good fortune. King Daçaratba will offer thee rubies and pearls and gold and gems of various kinds; but do not thou bend thy heart to them. Do thou, exalted dame, bring into Daçarātha's recollection the two boons which he had granted thee at the time of the war between the gods and Asuras, and thou shalt not fail to achieve thy objects. And when that descendant of Raghu, raising thee will go to bestow the boons, do thou then binding him fast by oath, unfold unto the monarch the boons,saying,— 'Send Rāma unto the forest for nine and five years, and let Bharata, becoming on earth the foremost of monarchs, carry on the Government.' And Rāma having been banished for fourteen years, thy son growing (in the interval) firm and fast, will remain (on the throne) during the rest of his life. Do thou, therefore, O worshipful one, demand even the banishment of Rāma; for by this it is, O damsel, all interests will be secured unto thy son. Thus banished Rāma will no longer maintain possession of the hearts of the people; and thy Bharata with his foes put out, will be the king. By the time that Rāma returns from the forest, thy son, thy prudent son along with his friends, securing the hearts of the people externally and internally, will have been firmly established on the throne. Now is the time, I apprehend. Renouncing fear, do thou forcibly make the monarch remove from his mind his intention of installing Rāma."
Having been thus made to accept that for good which was really evil, Kaikeyi, desirous of obtaining the boons, was filled with delight. And at the words of the hump-backed woman, that exceedingly beautiful Kaikeyi experienced the height of pride, and betook herself to this wrong course, like a mare attached to her young, (springing up after it). And she said to Mantharā,—"O excellent wench, O speaker of things fair, thy wisdom I do not dishonor. In ascertaining the propriety or otherwise of actions, thou art the very first of hump- backed women on earth. And ever intent on my interest, thou seekest my welfare. I had not, O hump-backed one, (ere this) apprehended the endeavours of the king. O hump- backed one, there are many deformed, crooked and unsightly women (on earth); but thou alone down, lookest beautiful like a lotus bent by the breeze. Thy breast weighed down by thy hump, is high near the shoulders; and beneath is thy belly graced with a goodly navel, which hath grown lean from shame (on holding the attitude of thy bust.) Thy buttocks are spacious; and thy breasts are firm. Thy countenance is like the bright moon, Ah! O Mantharā,how lovely dost thou look! Thy hips are smooth, and is decked with chains; and thy thighs and legs are of large proportions. O Mantharā, O thou clad in linen garment, O graceful damsel, with thy pair of spacious humps, thou goest before me like a she- crane. In thy heart reside all those thousand-conjurations belonging to that lord of the Asuras, Samvara; and besides thousands there are many more. Intelligence and policy and conjurations reside in thy elevated hump resembling the nave of a chariot- wheel. When Bharata hath been installed and Rāma gone to the woods, I will, O hump-backed one, furnish thy hump with a garland made, O beautiful one, of well melted gold. And when I shall have attained my object and be happy, I will smear thy hump with sandal paste. O hump-backed one, I will prepare for thy face an excellent tilaka of gold; as well as other ornaments. Wearing elegant apparel, thou wilt go about like a very goddess. With an incomparable countenance challenging the moon himself, thou wilt attain pre-eminence, defying thy foes. Even as thou servest me, other hump-backed women adorned with every ornament will serve thy feet."
Thus praised by Kaikeyi, as she was lying down on a white bed, like unto fire upon the sacrificial dais, Mantharā addressed her, saying,—"O blessed one, when water has flown out, it is not proper to set up a dyke. Arise. Do thy welfare. Show thyself unto the king." Puffed up with the pride of good fortune, that noble lady of expansive eyes thus encouraged (by Mantharā), went with her to the anger- chamber. (Having entered the chamber), that exalted lady put off her pearl neck-lace priced at many hundreds and thousands of gold, together with other elegant, beautiful and rich ornaments. Then sitting down upon the ground, Kaikeyi, comparable unto gold, under the influence of Mantharā's words, spoke unto her, saying—"Do thou, hump-backed one, tell the monarch, that I am dead at this place. On Rāghava having gone to the forest, Bharata will obtain the earth. I do not require gold, or gems, or repasts; this will be the end of my existence if Rāma be installed."
Again the hump-backed woman addressed Bharata's mother in exceedingly cruel language fraught with good unto Bharata and evil unto Rāma,—"If Rāghava attaineth the kingdom, thou wilt surely grieve along with thy son. Therefore, O blessed one, do thou strive so that thy son Bharata be installed."
Thus momentarily pierced by the wordy shafts shot by Mantharā, the queen exceedingly surprised, laying her hand on her bosom, wrathfully broke out,—"Either beholding me gone unto the regions of Death, thou wilt apprize the king of it, or Rāghava repairing unto the forest for a long time, Bharata will attain his desire. If Rāghava doth not repair hence into the forest, I will not desire beds, nor garlands, nor sandal paste, nor colyrium, nor meat, nor drinks, nor life." Having said these cruel words, and thrown off every ornament, the wrathful dame lay down on the ground having no covering, like a fallen Kinnari. Casting away her excellent garlands and ornaments with her countenance clouded with the gloom of wrath, the King's wife became sunk in thought looking like a sky enveloped in darkness, with the stars hid.