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title: "Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 78"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/ayodhya-kanda/sarga-78"
lang: "en"
---

# Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 78

> अथ यात्रां समीहन्तं शत्रुघ्नो लक्ष्मणानुजः।  
> भरतं शोकसंतप्तमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥ १॥

To Bharata, who was sore stricken with grief and was contemplating to undertake a journey to meet Śrī Rāma, Śatrughna, the younger brother of Lakṣmaṇa—spoke as follows : (1)

> गतिर्यः सर्वभूतानां दुःखे किं पुनरात्मनः।  
> स रामः सत्त्वसम्पन्नः स्त्रिया प्रव्राजितो वनम्॥ २॥

“How strange that the same Śrī Rāma who is possessed of extraordinary might and is the support of all created beings in distress, much more of himself and his own, was exiled into the forest by a woman ! (2)

> बलवान् वीर्यसम्पन्नो लक्ष्मणो नाम योऽप्यसौ।  
> किं न मोचयते रामं कृत्वापि पितृनिग्रहम्॥ ३॥

“What a pity that even Lakṣmaṇa, who is full of might and rich in prowess, did not deliver Śrī Rāma from distress, going the length, even if necessary, of restraining his father ! (3)

> पूर्वमेव तु विग्राह्यः समवेक्ष्य नयानयौ।  
> उत्पथं यः समारूढो नार्या राजा वशं गतः॥ ४॥

“In fact, fully considering what is just and what is unjust, the king, who had adopted a wrong course, having fallen into the clutches of a woman, ought to have been restrained even before matters came to a head.” (4)

> इति सम्भाषमाणे तु शत्रुघ्ने लक्ष्मणानुजे।  
> प्राग्द्वारेऽभूत् तदा कुब्जा सर्वाभरणभूषिता॥ ५॥

Even while Śatrughna, the younger brother of Lakṣmaṇa, was speaking as aforesaid, Mantharā, the hunchbacked maidservant of Kaikeyī, appeared at that very moment decked with all sorts of ornaments at the eastern door. (5)

> लिप्ता चन्दनसारेण राजवस्त्राणि बिभ्रती।  
> विविधं विविधैस्तैस्तैर्भूषणैश्च विभूषिता॥ ६॥

Smeared all over with excellent sandal-paste and wearing royal costumes she was adorned in various ways with ornaments of every description pertaining to all limbs. (6)

> मेखलादामभिश्चित्रैरन्यैश्च वरभूषणैः।  
> बभासे बहुभिर्बद्धा रज्जुबद्धेव वानरी॥ ७॥

Adorned with lovely girdles and other excellent ornaments worn round the waist, she looked like a female monkey bound with a number of strings. (7)

> तां समीक्ष्य तदा द्वाःस्थो भृशं पापस्य कारिणीम्।  
> गृहीत्वाकरुणं कुब्जां शत्रुघ्नाय न्यवेदयत्॥ ८॥

Gazing on that humpback, who was responsible for the sinful deed in the form of banishment of Śrī Rāma and others, which had proved a terrible curse for the entire population of Ayodhyā and seizing her most heartlessly, the porter on duty delivered her to Śatrughna with the following words : (8)

> यस्याः कृते वने रामो न्यस्तदेहश्च वः पिता।  
> सेयं पापा नृशंसा च तस्याः कुरु यथामति॥ ९॥

“Here is that cruel wretch because of whom Śrī Rāma is living in the forest and your father has cast off his body ! Deal with her as you please.” (9)

> शत्रुघ्नश्च तदाज्ञाय वचनं भृशदुःखितः।  
> अन्तःपुरचरान् सर्वानित्युवाच धृतव्रतः॥ १०॥

Pondering the aforesaid submission of the porter and having determined his course of action, Śatrughna, who was feeling sore distressed, spoke to all the inmates of the gynaeceum as follows : (10)

> तीव्रमुत्पादितं दुःखं भ्रातॄणां मे तथा पितुः।  
> यथा सेयं नृशंसस्य कर्मणः फलमश्नुताम्॥ ११॥

“Let this wench reap the fruit of her cruel deed as acute agony has been caused by her to my brothers as well as to my father.” (11)

> एवमुक्त्वा च तेनाशु सखीजनसमावृता।  
> गृहीता बलवत् कुब्जा सा तद् गृहमनादयत्॥ १२॥

With these words the humpback, who was surrounded by her female companions, was violently seized by him at once; and she in her turn made that chamber, where he stood, resound with her shrieks. (12)

> ततः सुभृशसंतप्तस्तस्याः सर्वः सखीजनः।  
> क्रुद्धमाज्ञाय शत्रुघ्नं व्यपलायत सर्वशः॥ १३॥

Extremely agonized to perceive Śatrughna enraged, all her female companions forthwith ran away helter-skelter in all directions. (13)

> अमन्त्रयत कृत्स्नश्च तस्याः सर्वः सखीजनः।  
> यथायं समुपक्रान्तो निःशेषं नः करिष्यति॥ १४॥

All her female companions as well as the entire menial staff said to one another, “From the way in which he has started dealing with us, it can easily be concluded that he will put an end to us all. (14)

> सानुक्रोशां वदान्यां च धर्मज्ञां च यशस्विनीम्।  
> कौसल्यां शरणं यामः सा हि नोऽस्ति ध्रुवा गतिः॥ १५॥

“We shall fly for protection to Kausalyā, who is merciful, polite of speech and glorious and knows what is right; for she is our unfailing asylum.” (15)

> स च रोषेण संवीतः शत्रुघ्नः शत्रुशासनः।  
> विचकर्ष तदा कुब्जां क्रोशन्तीं पृथिवीतले॥ १६॥

Nay, overwhelmed with anger, the said Śatrughna, the chastiser of his enemies, then violently dragged the crying humpback along the floor. (16)

> तस्यां ह्याकृष्यमाणायां मन्थरायां ततस्ततः।  
> चित्रं बहुविधं भाण्डं पृथिव्यां तद्व्यशीर्यत॥ १७॥

While the notorious Mantharā was being dragged to and fro on the ground, her excellent ornaments of various kinds, mentioned above, were actually dashed to pieces. (17)

> तेन भाण्डेन विस्तीर्णं श्रीमद् राजनिवेशनम्।  
> अशोभत तदा भूयः शारदं गगनं यथा॥ १८॥

Strewn with those broken ornaments, the splendid royal palace shone all the more at that moment like the clear actual sky spangled with stars. (18)

> स बली बलवत् क्रोधाद् गृहीत्वा पुरुषर्षभः।  
> कैकेयीमभिनिर्भर्त्स्य बभाषे परुषं वचः॥ १९॥

Continuing to hold Mantharā in violent rage and sharply rebuking Kaikeyī (who had come to protect her maidservant), that mighty prince, a veritable jewel among men, spoke harsh words to her. (19)

> तैर्वाक्यैः परुषैर्दुःखैः कैकेयी भृशदुःखिता।  
> शत्रुघ्नभयसंत्रस्ता पुत्रं शरणमागता॥ २०॥

Greatly pained by those harsh and unpleasant words and overwhelmed with fear of Śatrughna, Kaikeyī fled for protection to her own son. (20)

> तं प्रेक्ष्य भरतः क्रुद्धं शत्रुघ्नमिदमब्रवीत्।  
> अवध्याः सर्वभूतानां प्रमदाः क्षम्यतामिति॥ २१॥

Perceiving Śatrughna enraged, Bharata spoke to him as follows : “Women are undeserving of death at the hands of all men. Let her be forgiven as such. (21)

> हन्यामहमिमां पापां कैकेयीं दुष्टचारिणीम्।  
> यदि मां धार्मिको रामो नासूयेन्मातृघातकम्॥ २२॥

“I myself would have slain this sinful Kaikeyī of vicious conduct had it not been for the fact that the pious Śrī Rāma is sure to get angry with me for my having killed my own mother. (22)

> इमामपि हतां कुब्जां यदि जानाति राघवः।  
> त्वां च मां चैव धर्मात्मा नाभिभाषिष्यते ध्रुवम्॥ २३॥

Nay, Śrī Rāma, whose mind is given to piety, will surely never speak not only with you but also with me if he ultimately comes to know even of this humpback having been killed by us.” (23)

> भरतस्य वचः श्रुत्वा शत्रुघ्नो लक्ष्मणानुजः।  
> न्यवर्तत ततो दोषात् तां मुमोच च मूर्च्छिताम्॥ २४॥

Hearing the admonition of Bharata, Śatrughna, the younger brother of Lakṣmaṇa, desisted from the aforesaid crime and left her almost unconscious. (24)

> सा पादमूले कैकेय्या मन्थरा निपपात ह।  
> निःश्वसन्ती सुदुःखार्ता कृपणं विललाप ह॥ २५॥

The notorious Mantharā, it is said, fell at the soles of Kaikeyī’s feet. (Nay) drawing a deep audible breath expressive of sadness, sore stricken as she was with sorrow, she piteously wailed: so the tradition goes. (25)

> शत्रुघ्नविक्षेपविमूढसंज्ञां  
> समीक्ष्य कुब्जां भरतस्य माता।  
> शनैः समाश्वासयदार्तरूपां  
> क्रौञ्चीं विलग्नामिव वीक्षमाणाम्॥ २६॥

Perceiving the humpback stunned because of her having been dragged to and fro by Śatrughna, and wearing a wretched look and looking on her boss like a female crane released from captivity, Bharata’s mother slowly calmed her. (26)

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