Shloka 10
मन्थराप्रेरणा—वरद्वय-स्मरणं च
Manthara’s Provocation and the Recalling of Two Boons
एवमुक्ता तया देव्या मन्थरा पापदर्शिनी।रामार्थमुपहिंसन्ती कुब्जा वचनमब्रवीत्।।।।
evamuktā tayā devyā mantharā pāpadarśinī | rāmārtham upahiṃsantī kubjā vacanam abravīt ||
దేవి ఇలా అనగా, పాపదృష్టిగల కుబ్జ మంథర రాముని హితాన్ని హానిచేయాలని ఉద్దేశించి ఈ మాటలు పలికెను।
Thus addressed by the queen (Kaikeyi), the evil-eyed hunchback, Manthara, said with the intention to damage Rama's interest.
FAQs
Dharma rejects speech driven by malice; intentional harm to the righteous (here, Rāma’s welfare) is presented as adharma.
Mantharā responds to Kaikeyī, positioning her counsel as a deliberate attempt to derail Rāma’s prospects.
The verse foregrounds the opposite of virtue—goodwill and truthfulness—by depicting calculated ill-intent and corrosive counsel.