Doha 22
कुबरीं करि कबुली कैकेई। कपट छुरी उर पाहन टेई॥ लखइ न रानि निकट दुखु कैसें। चरइ हरित तिन बलिपसु जैसें॥१॥
सुनत बात मृदु अंत कठोरी। देति मनहुँ मधु माहुर घोरी॥ कहइ चेरि सुधि अहइ कि नाहीं। स्वामिनि कहिहु कथा मोहि पाहीं॥२॥
दुइ बरदान भूप सन थाती। मागहु आजु जुड़ावहु छाती॥ सुतहि राजु रामहि बनबासू। देहु लेहु सब सवति हुलासू॥३॥
भूपति राम सपथ जब करई। तब मागेहु जेहिं बचनु न टरई॥ होइ अकाजु आजु निसि बीतें। बचनु मोर प्रिय मानेहु जी तें॥४॥
Meaning
Winning over Kaikeyī and treating her as an offering accepted for sacrifice, the humpback whetted the knife of trickery on the stone of her heart. The queen, however, like a sacrificial beast, who nibbled the green turf, did not foresee the impending calamity.(1) Agreeable to hear, yet painful in consequence, were the words she spoke; it seemed as if she was administering honey mixed with poison. Said the maid-servant, “Do you, or do you not, remember the incident you once told me, my lady? (2) “You have in reserve with the king two boons that he once promised you.* Ask for them today and soothe your heart. Bestow sovereignty on your son and banishment to the forest on Rāma and thus take all the pleasures of your co-wife. (3) * It is stated in Vālmīki’s Rāmāyaṇa that King Daśaratha was once engaged in a combat with the demon king Sambara on behalf of the gods: The king was mortally wounded and fell unconscious in his chariot, while his charioteer also fell. The valiant Queen Kaikeyī, who had accompanied her royal husband to the field of battle, assumed the role of a charioteer and removed the king to a safe retreat. When the king regained his consciousness and came to know of the timely help rendered by the queen, he was immensely pleased and offered her a couple of boons. The queen, however, kept them in reserve and did not ask for anything on that occasion. The Adhyātma-Rāmāyaṇa (forming part of the Brahmāṇḍa-Purāṇa), however, tells a different story. There we are told that while King Daśaratha was once fighting with the demons on behalf of the gods, the axle of the wheels of his chariot got loosened and was about to fall when Queen Kaikeyī, who had accompanied the king to the battle-field, perceived it and inserting her own arm in place of the axle prevented the chariot from toppling down and held her arm in that position till her husband was able to vanquish his foe. The king was filled with admiration and gratitude when he marked this heroic feat of his queen and offered her two boons, which the queen reserved for a future occasion. “When the king swears by Rāma, ask the boons only then, so that the former may not go back upon his word. The scheme will fail if this night is allowed to pass; cherish my words as dearer than life.” (4)
बड़ कुघातु करि पातकिनि कहेसि कोपगृहँ जाहु। काजु सँवारेहु सजग सबु सहसा जनि पतिआहु॥२२॥
Meaning
Having thus hatched her very cruel design the wretch said, “Betake yourself to the sulking-room. Manage the whole affair discreetly and be not too ready to believe the King (i.e., do not be taken in by his endearing words).” (22)
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