Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 7, Shloka 29
मन्थराप्रवेशः
Manthara Observes Ayodhya and Incites Kaikeyi
पापेनानृतसान्त्वेन बाले नित्यसुखोचिते।रामं स्थापयता राज्ये सानुबन्धा हता ह्यसि।।।।
pāpenānṛtasāntvena bāle nityasukhocite | rāmaṃ sthāpayatā rājye sānubandhā hatā hy asi ||
Hỡi con thơ, vốn quen hưởng an lạc thường ngày—bởi lời vỗ về giả dối của kẻ tội lỗi ấy, khi hắn lập Rāma lên ngôi, nàng quả thật bị diệt vong, cùng mọi người gắn bó với nàng (kể cả con nàng).
O senseless lady, you are always accustomed to comfort. With deceitful words of appeasement that vicious one (King Dasaratha) is going to install Rama in the kingdom. You along with your son have been surely ruined.
FAQs
It condemns anṛta (untruth) used as consolation; dharma requires satya in counsel and restraint from manipulative speech that harms family harmony.
Mantharā culminates her argument by asserting that Kaikeyī and Bharata’s future is destroyed if Rāma is installed as heir-apparent.
Self-control and clarity are implicitly needed; the verse shows how comfort and insecurity can be exploited to derail right judgment.