||Sri Ram Jeyram Jay Jay Ram ||

Chapter – 4 – Ayodhya Kandam

Mandhara's deception on Devi Kaikeyi

Mandhara speaks “Oh! Devi, If I speak I will speak the truth for your benefit, unfortunately, you are not liking it, I should not have done that, you like praise without knowing truth or lie, therefore I have decided to speak everything to please you, I will not utter a single word which is not in favor of you. Otherwise, I would keep myself silent during day and night, God has given me ugly appearance and dependency as well.  It is the law of Karma, one should reap that was sown, and I have no gain or loss in whoever rules the city of Ayodhya, I can’t be the Queen Mother definitely. I have spoken all those ill words foreseeing the troubles to you, my fate is a cursed one, I cannot bear your troubles, that is the reason I have spoken ill about your family. I have made a big mistake by criticizing you openly, Oh! Devi kindly forgives me.” 

Devi Kaikeyi was fickle-minded, completely soaked in Maya of the deities, mistook her enemy Mandhara who is extremely wicked and disloyal. Devi Kaikeyi’s mind and intellect were already wedged on the negative remarks of Mandhara, she repeatedly enquired for the reason for Mandhara’s anger, like the baby deer get trapped into the melodious songs of the hunter. Devi Kaikeyi’s mind has changed completely according to her fate, Mandhara took great pleasure in watching her tricks working well on the queen, and she pleasantly spoke “Oh! Devi, you are questioning me, but I am scared to open my mouth because you have already blamed me as the trouble maker in the family.” Once again Mandhara won over Devi Kaikeyi with her sweet coated words; she made the queen completely on her side so that she can bring destruction to the Kingdom of Ayodhya, like the evil planet Saturn. Mandhara spoke “Oh! Devi, you have revealed your love for Rama and Sita, I know that is truthful; Rama is dear as life to you. Oh! Devi that time has changed, when the waves hit hard on people cannot withstand it, Surya gives life to the lotus flower, but a lotus plants cannot survive without water. Devi Kausalya will take this opportunity in favor of her and will give troubles in the future. Therefore it is advisable for you to play a safe game, you were in a false impression that your husband is most promising to you, therefore you trusted him wholly, and hence you have swollen with pride. Oh! Devi listens to me, his heart is impure but the tongue is sweet, but you are truly innocent to understand them. Devi Kausalya is highly intelligent and has good control over the family, she has already made the situation promising to her, it was Devi Kausalya’s idea to send Bharatha to his grandfather’s home, and the King Dhasharatha thoughtfully followed Devi Kausalya on this matter. Devi Kausalya has always a dislike for you because you have been the most favorite wife of King Dhasharatha, even though all three are serving him as their lives. Oh! Devi, you have always been a cause for the unhappiness of Devi Kausalya. She did not show it openly, but she has utilized her mind at the appropriate time. It is quite natural that the wives of a King get jealousy on each other, King Dhasharatha is very loving to you, and it irked Devi Kausalya. She has used a trick and influenced the King to conduct the coronation ceremony of Rama; she must have compelled the King to do it right now, even though it is the customary rite in the Surya dynasty. It is great news anyway but I get scared of the after-effects of the ceremony, and I pray all her wickedness should go back to her. ”

In this way, Mandhara filled the ears of the Queen Kaikeyi with all those false and arrogant complaints against Devi Kausalya, and Devi Sumithra, it increased the dislike of Devi Kaikeyi to both of them. Mandhara had thousands of lies to tell to Devi Kaikeyi, who was already besieged with fate. Devi Kaikeyi started believing all those lies and listening to Mandhara, “Oh! Devi, what are you talking about? You have not understood a thing about what’s happening here for the past two weeks, the preparations for the ceremony has begun two weeks before, but you came to know it just now. You are the provider of meal and clothing to me, therefore I am liable to say the truth, and if I am wrong then God will punish me. If Rama’s coronation ceremony takes place tomorrow, it will heave you into deep troubles, I am quite sure that they will keep you out, like the fly from the milk. They will not let you and your son peacefully live in this place, if you are not willing to serve them, you have no other choice, you and your son have to obey their orders.”