Manthara walked into her mistress’s room, angry at the injustice of the world. When she saw Kaikeyi’s happy face, her anger turned to irreconcilable fury. 

“Come, Manthara. Today is one of the happiest days of my life. Here, take this necklace as my gift to you on this happy, auspicious occasion,” Kaikeyi crooned joyously even as she handed over a beautiful emerald necklace to her personal maid.

Manthara Begins to Poison Kaikeyi’s Mind

But Manthara’s next action shocked her. She threw the necklace to the ground, where it shattered into a thousand pieces.

“How dare you do that to my gift?” Kaikeyi asked, anger, horror, shock, and a weird sense of foreboding writ large on her face. 

“I have been your personal maid since you were born, Kaikeyi. I came with you from Kekaya, giving up my entire life in my place of birth.”

“I know that. Aren’t you happy here? In fact, you strut around the other maids like you are their queen. I have heard so many complaints from them about the way you treat them, rudely, and with little compunction.”

“I have the right to do that. For one, I am your personal maid, the queen that King Dasharatha married for love, not just for his kingdom’s welfare. Second, I am much older than all of them, and therefore, have far more experience than all of them put together. Shouldn’t I correct them when they make mistakes?”

“Ok, that’s fine. So, why are you complaining about leaving Kekaya? Things have gotten better for you after coming to Ayodhya.”

“Yes, of course. Until today.”

“What happened today?”

“Whatever makes you happy and distribute expensive gifts.”

“Rama to be named Crown Prince? What can be wrong with that? My dear son, Rama, will be the Crown Prince of Ayodhya. And the people of the kingdom love him, too. Not only the beloved eldest son and brother of the family, but a highly popular, kind, compassionate, and loving prince of the entire kingdom. Rama is such a deserving candidate for the role.” 

“You are so naive, my dear Queen. You don’t know the ways of the world. You think your power and position are going to be the same after Rama is crowned king? Don’t you think Queen Kausalya is going to lord over you? Are you forgetting she will be the Queen Mother and not you?”

Kaikeyi Starts to Worry

For the first time in her life, frown lines appeared on Kaikeyi’s forehead, and unpleasant thoughts assaulted her mind.

No! No! Manthara cannot be right. Rama or even Kausalya will not treat me any differently.

“Even if you are not worried about yourself, think about your son, Bharata. Would he get the same respect now that he will never be a king? Remember, the long-term impact of Rama being made the Crown Prince is not just that Bharata, but his entire lineage, loses the power to become kings. Only Rama’s son will inherit the throne.”

The frown lines became increasingly prominent as Manthara’s words hit Kaikeyi hard. She recalled the first time she met Kausalya after her marriage. Filled with trepidation and uncertainty, wondering how she would be accepted by her husband’s first wife, she bowed humbly and sought blessings. Kausalya’s kindness surprised her.

“My blessings will always be on you, my dear sister,” she had said. Kaikeyi was pleasantly surprised at this reception. However, it had taken years for the feeling of awkwardness between them to disappear entirely. In fact, it was Sumitra, King Dasharatha’s third wife, who had brought them together. Her cheery, chirpy attitude, despite the onus of dealing with two senior wives, was infectious. There was something about her that brought a sense of sisterhood among the three of them.

Today, Manthara’s words of the difficult but plausible future situations brought back those old uncertainties. 

What if Manthara is correct? What if Kausalya is waiting for the right opportunity to get her revenge? What if my position is relegated to that of a maid to her? 

Knowing she has got the attention of her boss, Manthara continued, “And also, Lakshmana and Rama’s closeness is no secret. There is some kind of underlying, irreparable bond between the two, far more than what exists among the four brothers. I am sure, Lakshmana will make sure his mother, Sumitra, will get better treatment than you.”

“No! What you’re saying is untrue. The four brothers’ love for each other is the same. There is no special bond between Rama and Lakshmana.”

“Really? You really believe that. Have you ever noticed Lakshmana going anywhere alone, without Rama? Have you ever seen the same kind of tightness between Lakshmana and his own twin brother, Shatrughna?”

Now, Kaikeyi’s mind was in turmoil. She had no answers to Manthara’s questions. She had no proof that the four brothers were equal. But Manthara had ample proof that Rama was above the others, and that Lakshmana had the power to make even Sumitra come above herself in the household hierarchy. Further, what Manthara said about Bharata’s entire lineage losing out on the throne rattled her more than Kaikeyi could admit.

Slowly, she asked Manthara, “But what can be done now? Isn’t it the law that the eldest son gets the throne? I am powerless to do anything except accept my fate?”

Manthara’s eyes glinted in the light. This was what she wanted. She replied, “Who said you’re powerless? Whatever the rules are, one’s promise comes above everything else. Once a word is given, then it has to be kept, even at the cost of one’s life.”

Confused, Kaikeyi asked, “Stop talking in riddles. Give me a straight answer.”

“Have you forgotten the two boons King Dasharatha promised you when you saved me during the Asura-Deva war?”

Kaikeyi Reminisces on Young Days

“Oh yes! How did I forget that? It was a difficult day for the Devas when their arch enemies, the Asuras, were winning. King Dasharatha was fighting on the side of the Devas, in deference to Lord Indra’s request for help. I also wanted to help my husband. I became his charioteer. Using my skills as an exceptional charioteer, I steered King Dasharatha through the battlefield as he wreaked havoc on the Asuras.”

The joy of happy memories reflected in her eyes as Manthara urged her to continue her story. “All was going well until he was hit by an arrow. Knowing the wound could get grievous, I hurriedly drove the chariot to a place of safety and nursed Dasharatha. When he recovered, he was so grateful to me for saving his life that he wanted to grant me two boons. He said, ‘Any two boons of your choice, my dear wife.’ That day I didn’t need anything. So I told him I will ask when I needed them.”

Manthara interjected at this point. “Now use the boons, Kaikeyi. For your good, and for the good of your son and his lineage.”

“What do you want me to ask?”

Kaikeyi’s Two Boons 

“To make Bharata the Crown Prince and to send Rama away to exile for 14 years.”

“What? Why? Why should Rama be exiled? Wouldn’t the first boon be enough?”

“You know how much the people of Ayodhya love Rama, right? Bharata will never have the chance to prove his worth to them as long as Rama remains here. Rama has to be sent away to give a free hand to your son.”

“But that’s cruel. I can’t do that.”

“Well, then, be ready for a life of servitude.”

“No! That cannot be! You are trying to scare me, Manthara.”

“I am not, my dear Queen. I am the only one in this place to have your welfare in my heart. Just imagine the future with Rama as the king. Imagine a time when you are serving Kausalya. Or perhaps, a time when Bharata is exiled because of Rama’s fear that he might want to fight for the throne. Wouldn’t Rama do that? In fact, I think he may even kill Bharata to ensure he remains on the throne!”

“NO! That can never happen,” screamed Kaikeyi, even as she tried hard to push out the image of her dead son from her mind. “As long as I am alive, my Bharata will be safe. I will go right now to get my boons.”

Kaikeyi Seeks Forgiveness 

At the end of the 14-year exile, Kaikeyi fell at Rama’s feet, washing them with her regretful tears. Rama immediately lifted her up and said, “Mother, what are you doing?”

“I seek forgiveness, Rama.”

“You don’t need forgiveness, Mother. All our lives are acted out according to our karma. If you hadn’t done what you did, would the mighty but evil Ravana be dead today? And finally, no mother should fall at her son’s feet. Bless me that I may continue to serve you and my other two mothers with love and devotion always.”

This post is a part of BlogchatterA2Z Challenge 2026

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