Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 7, Shloka 23
मन्थराप्रवेशः
Manthara Observes Ayodhya and Incites Kaikeyi
नराधिपकुले जाता महिषी त्वं महीपतेः।उग्रत्वं राजधर्माणां कथं देवि न बुध्यसे।।।।
narādhipakule jātā mahiṣī tvaṃ mahīpateḥ | ugratvaṃ rājadharmāṇāṃ kathaṃ devi na budhyase ||
ದೇವಿ, ನೀನು ನರಾಧಿಪರ ಕುಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಜನಿಸಿದವಳು, ಮಹೀಪತಿಯ ಮಹಿಷಿಯೂ ಹೌದು; ಹಾಗಿರಲು ರಾಜಧರ್ಮಗಳ ಉಗ್ರತೆಯನ್ನು ನೀನು ಹೇಗೆ ಅರಿಯದೆ ಇರುವೆ?
O queen, born in the royal family and being a king's consort why don't you realise the ruthless ways of statecraft?
FAQs
It references rājadharma: governance often involves hard decisions; dharmically, such harshness must still be guided by justice and truth, not factional gain.
Mantharā rebukes Kaikeyī for naivety and frames succession as ruthless political terrain.
Practical wisdom (nīti-jñāna) is urged—though Mantharā’s use of it is meant to provoke fear and action.