Doha 20
कैकयसुता सुनत कटु बानी। कहि न सकइ कछु सहमि सुखानी॥ तन पसेउ कदली जिमि काँपी। कुबरीं दसन जीभ तब चाँपी॥१॥
कहि कहि कोटिक कपट कहानी। धीरजु धरहु प्रबोधिसि रानी॥ फिरा करमु प्रिय लागि कुचाली। बकिहि सराहइ मानि मराली॥२॥
सुनु मंथरा बात फुरि तोरी। दहिनि आँखि नित फरकइ मोरी॥ दिन प्रति देखउँ राति कुसपने। कहउँ न तोहि मोह बस अपने॥३॥
काह करौं सखि सूध सुभाऊ। दाहिन बाम न जानउँ काऊ॥४॥
Meaning
Hearing these awful remarks, Kaikeyī shrivelled with fear and could not utter a word. Her body was wet with perspiration and shook like a plantain stalk. The humpback then bit her tongue (for fear lest the gloomy picture drawn by her might break Kaikeyī’s heart). (1) Telling her, one after another, many a story of wiles, Mantharā comforted the queen and asked her to be of good cheer. At last the tide turned and Kaikeyī conceived a fondness for perversity; she applauded a heron mistaking it for a swan. (2) “Listen, O Mantharā; what you say is quite true. My right eye ever throbs and I have an evil dream every night; but in my folly I did not tell you. (3) “I cannot help it, my friend; I am so guileless by nature. I cannot distinguish a friend from a foe. (4)
अपनें चलत न आजु लगि अनभल काहुक कीन्ह। केहिं अघ एकहि बार मोहि दैअँ दुसह दुखु दीन्ह॥२०॥
Meaning
“Never to this day have I done an evil turn to anybody during my ascendancy. I wonder for what offence has Providence subjected me to such terrible suffering all at once. (20)
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