Page 20 - Bhakthinivedana-English-January-2022-Magazine.pmd

(ayo:dhya ka:nda, 7th sarga, 35th slo:ka) “I will make Rama go to forest now itself and
also get Bharatha anointed immediately.”
“I see no difference between Rama and Bharatha.
Therefore, I am delighted that the King is anointing Mantthara was pleased. The angry Kaike:yi
Rama!” entered the ‘house of wrath’, discarded all her
ornaments and lied on the floor. The determined
Kaike:yi was unperturbed by Mantthara’s words. Kaike:yi forced Dasarattha to accept her terms by
Her motherly love for Rama filled her heart with joy repeatedly reminding him that being a king, he must
at the prospect of his kingship. adhere to his promises. Broken-hearted Dasarattha
Mantthara influences relented. Bharatha would be anointed as crown

Kaike:yi prince. Rama would go to the forest for fourteen
years. Kaike:yi was satisfied. So were the celestials in
Watching Kaike:yi beaming in delight, the skies. They knew that Kaike:yi had triggered the
Mantthara fumed in anger. Again and again, she beginning of the end of the evil Ra:vana.

opposed Rama's coronation. She pointed out that Taming the unsteady mind
Kaike:yi would lose all power and influence and
would have to serve Kaike:yi. Also, Bharatha and his Let us pause the narrative about Kaike:yi. Let
progeny would have no say in the royal affairs. By us observe how unsteady the mind is! Kaike:yi loved
showcasing their bleak future, Mantthara succeeded Rama as dearly as her own son. Her first response to
in influencing Kaike:yi. The panicked Kaike:yi asked Mantthara was that of pure joy. A little instigation by
what could be done. Mantthara replied, “Ask the king Mantthara brought out the hidden feelings of anger,
to banish Rama into forest and anoint Bharatha in insecurity, jealousy in Kaike:yi. The loving mother
his place!’ Encouraged, yet distraught Kaike:yi asked who treated Rama and Bharatha as equals turned
her how to attain it. Manthara readily replied, ‘Invoke into an ambitious queen desiring her son to become a
the two boons that the king had promised you during king. Is this not an astonishing phenomenon?
the battle with Sambara’. Mantthara's resourcefulness
pleased Kaike:yi. She praised her beauty and An untrained mind too believes in virtues and
intelligence, promised to decorate her with ornaments lives up to them. However, it has some Mantthara-
once Bharatha becomes the crown prince. traits embedded in itself! These are the negative traits
and habits which we pick up randomly over years. We
Mantthara coached her queen effectively. know that they are not our best traits, yet we are fond
Dasarattha would try to wean her away with sweet of them due to years of association. Whenever we have
words, wonderful gifts. But Kaike:yi was not to to act on virtue instead of narrow selfishness, these
budge. She should accept nothing less than Rama’s negative traits and habits sabotage us from within,
banishment and Bharatha’s anointment. Burning with and we succumb to their self-righteousness preaching.
anger, with long sighs, Kaike:yi said thus: We become unreasonable and rigid causing harm to

adya ra:mamithaha kshipram vanam ourselves and others around. Taming such powerful
prastha:paya: myaham | yet fickle mind is almost impossible!

yauvara:jye: cha bharatham kshipra ‘How to tame such turbulent, fickle mind?’
me:va:bhishe:chaye: || asks Arjuna and Lord Krushna provides an effective
answer:
(ayo:dhya ka:nda, 9th sarga, 2nd slo:ka)
asamsayam maha:ba:ho: mano: durnigraham

20 Bhakthi Nivedana Jan 2022