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 ||
अत्यंत भयंकर वचन बोलून त्या सुंदरीने सर्व दागिने काढून ठेवले. मग आस्तरण न घालता उघड्या भूमीवर ती अशी पडून राहिली, जणू एखादी किन्नरी कोसळली आहे.
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.