Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 9, Shloka 65
मन्थराप्रेरणा—वरद्वय-स्मरणं च
Manthara’s Provocation and the Recalling of Two Boons
अथैतदुक्त्वा वचनं सुदारुणंनिधाय सर्वाभरणानि भामिनी।असंवृतामास्तरणेन मेदिनींतदाऽधिशिश्ये पतितेव किन्नरी।।।।
athaitad uktvā vacanaṃ sudāruṇaṃ nidhāya sarvābharaṇāni bhāminī |
asaṃvṛtām āstaraṇena medinīṃ tadā’dhiśiśye patiteva kinnarī ||
かくてそのあまりに凄絶な言葉を語り終えると、美しきカイケーイーは一切の飾りを外し、敷物も掛け物もない裸の大地に身を横たえた。まるで墜ちたキンナリーのように。
Saying these ruthless words, that lovely Kaikeyi cast off all her ornaments like afallen 'kinnara' woman, and lay down on the floor with the carpet removed.
FAQs
It is a deliberate display of distress and protest meant to pressure the king; ethically, it signals a turn from calm, truthful persuasion toward manipulative conduct that disrupts righteous order (dharma) in the household and kingdom.
The verse follows harsh speech that sets the stage for demanding boons; the episode tests whether truthfulness will be upheld as a moral commitment (keeping one’s given word) even when the request arises from emotionally coercive behavior.