Manthara, an elderly, hunch backed maid servant of Kaikeyi, saw from
the balcony of the palace, a flurry of activity. The cheerful faces of
citizens of Ayodhya disturbed her. She saw the streets cleaned with
water and strewn with fresh flowers. Brahmins chanted vedic mantras
and people merrily distributed sweets. Even the animals like elephants
and horses seemed so happy and the bulls roared in jubilation. Yet,
ironically, Manthara seemed unhappy at others’ happiness. Pensively,
she asked a maid and learnt of Rama’s coronation.
What struck me here was Manthara’s fundamentally flawed character. If
you were to see a great celebration outside your house, you’d also
enquire, but would it be in a spirit of wanting to be part of the
energy of happiness that’s spreading everywhere, or would you feel
insecure that others are celebrating? Manthara’s spontaneous concern
reflects who she is- a highly insecure and evil plotter.
We may claim to have others’ interests in our heart but it’s during
those sudden moments when we are caught unawares, that our real
intention is revealed. A planned, rehearsed speech is usually good.
But what if the camera catches you when no one is watching?
Manthara was exposed in this immediate response to the citizens’
celebration, when she asked another maid: “What’s happening here? Is
Kaushalya giving away lot of charity, when she is herself so lusty for
wealth?”
She is a classic case of someone who is enemy centred. She perceives
Kaushalya, the elder queen of King Dasarath as her enemy. Her
happiness is dependent on how someone else- in this case kaushalya- is
either getting popular or suffers a calamity. A successful person
makes proactive choices whereas harbingers of evil react to the
conduct and disposition of an imaginary foe. That’s why Valmiki, when
introducing Manthara to the readers of Ramayana, addresses her as
‘papa darshini’- a person with sinful thought. Manthara was
uncomfortable that citizens of Ayodhya were happy and on learning that
Kausalya’s son would be the king, she rushed hurriedly to Kaikeyi’s
bedroom and saw her mistress lie comfortably on a soft bed.
“You foolish woman, you relax in ignorance when grave calamity is at
your doorstep” yelled Manthara who nursed hatred for the king and
Rama. “The king has sent away Bharat and in his absence plans to
anoint Rama as the prince regent. Soon, Rama’s son would become a king
and Bharat’s clan would be wiped away. Rise oh naive queen, act fast,
and know that your husband is evil. You trust him like an imprudent
man who keeps a poisonous serpent on his bosom and imagines he is
safe.”
Manthara began to envision terrible consequences of Rama’s appointment
as a king.
When our paradigms are faulty, we amplify our worries, exaggerate
others’ faults and justify our sinister motives.
To be continued…
