Valmiki Ramayana 2.7.19: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 7, Shloka 19
मन्थराप्रवेशः · Manthara Observes Ayodhya and Incites Kaikeyi
सा विषण्णतरा भूत्वा कुब्जा तस्या हितैषिणी ।
विषादयन्ती प्रोवाच भेदयन्ती च राघवम् ॥१९॥
sā viṣaṇṇatarā bhūtvā kubjā tasyā hitaiṣiṇī |
viṣādayantī provāca bhedayantī ca rāghavam ||19||
మరింత విషణ్ణురాలై, కైకేయి హితాన్ని కోరుతున్నానని చెప్పుకునే ఆ కుబ్జ, ఆమె విషాదం పెరిగేలా మరియు రాఘవుడు (రాముడు)తో విభేదం కలిగేలా మాటలు పలికింది.
That hunchback feeling still more depressed in her (Kaikeyi's) interest and intending to cause in her despondency and distance Rama from her spoke out:
FAQs
Dharma rejects counsel that creates needless division: pretending “welfare” while sowing despair and estrangement violates satya (truthfulness) and harms familial righteousness.
Mantharā escalates her strategy—she frames her advice as concern for Kaikeyī, but aims to turn her against Rāma.
The virtue implied is sincerity in counsel (true हितैषिता). The verse contrasts it with manipulative ‘well-wishing’ used to justify harmful speech.
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