Week 4 Storytelling: Manthara's Plot

Manthara was an elderly woman who was loved only by King Dasaratha's youngest consort, Kaikeyi.  She helped Kaikeyi raise Bharata, and looked to him as one of her own children.  She was a malicious woman, and always looked out for the best of her own while disregarding others.  When she heard through the servant grapevine that King Dasaratha was making Rama next to take the throne, she became very disgruntled. She had an infamous dislike for Dasaratha's eldest son, for when he was a young boy he injured her when he shot an arrow into her bum.  

When she first heard the news, many thoughts began to circulate in her mind, "What will happen to me now?  Why does Dasaratha see Rama a better heir than her dear Bharata?  What if the king decides to relocate himself and his wives to the countryside, away from the city?  What would I do in the country?!" 

Manthara decided to come up with a plot in order to make sure none of her previous thoughts would take place. She wanted to see Bharata on the throne before Yama called Death after her, and she knew if she was to come up with a plan she must do so quickly.  Manthara made her way to the royal library, and began to look over documents the royal scribes had written over the King's history.  While reviewing the material she came across a battle that Kaikeyi told her about in the past.  Dasaratha was badly wounded in battle, and was nearly dead when Kaikeyi saved him.  At this time the King was so delighted he asked his young Queen to wish for two things, and he would grant them immediately.  Kaikeyi loved Dasaratha tenderly, and was just happy he survived the battle.  She instructed that he save the wishes for a time in the future, for she could think of nothing but his well being at this time.  After reading about this event, Manthara grinned to herself for she now had the key ingredient to her poisonous plot.

She gathered herself and made the journey to Kaikeyi's private quarters, scheming along the way.  Lost in her thoughts, she collided with a nobleman who was making his way to a meeting with the King.  The nobleman was angered with Manthara, and cursed her for the next fourteen years after Rama is crowned king.  He stated that the god Yama and Death will visit her in her home and take her to hell.  Manthara became frightened and ran from the nobleman, but now she had even more incentive to convince Kaikeyi to have Baharata crowned.  She decided that she would have the Queen use her second wish also, and have Dasaratha exile Rama to the forest for fourteen years in order to have Baharata establish his ways to the people of Ayodya.  Just as she gathered all her thoughts, and finalized the story she would tell the Queen, she reached the royal quarters.  She took a deep breath, and entered Kaikeyi's private room, calling her name.

(Manthara and Keikeyi)

Author's Note:

For my Storytelling post this week, I decided to write about Manthara and her influence on Rama's story, and most importantly his exile.  She seems to have been the catalyst to all the trouble, following the King's decision to make Rama his next in line to the throne.  While doing research on Manthra's character, it has been said by many sources that if she was not included in the Ramayana, that there would be no story at all!  Although her mention in this section of the reading was brief, her impact was powerful, and I was left wondering why she felt compelled to convince Kaikeyi to prevent Rama's coronation.  It was mentioned in Buck's Ramayana that Manthara has some animosity towards Rama when he shot her with an arrow in his childhood, but no other incentive for her actions was provided. When we read Narayan's version, Rama reflects on how cruel he was to Manthra when he was child, and comes to the conclusion that he played a part in his own exile. I decided to come up with the curse on her life, by the nobleman, in order to justify with why she specifically chose fourteen years for Rama's exile.

Bibliography:

Buck, William (1976). Ramayana: King Rama's Way.

Week 4 Reading Diary B: Rama's Exile

This part of the reading reminds me of Greek and Roman mythology, where tricksters are a major player in the plot.  If Manthara was never present, and hadn't influenced Queen Kaikeyi, then Rama would have been crowned king and never exiled.  I wonder if Manthara had a hidden agenda by taking Kaikeyi into using her two promises granted by Dasharatha earlier in life.  I think Rama is about the only level headed person during this whole phenomenon.  He realizes that it is his duty to obey Kaikeyi's conditions, in order to honor his father's word, and he also realizes that fourteen years is only a fragment of time that will soon pass.  It didn't surprise me that people of the kingdom tried to follow Rama into the forest, but I am glad that he had Sumantra trick them into going back to Ayodhya.  

When Guha tells the story of when Kaikeyi asked Dasharatha to use one of his promises to teach her the language of the animals, and in the end refused, this last part confused me.  He changed his mind only when he heard some animals talk about how foolish he was acting.  What is different from this time and when she asked to exile Rama?  Could he not refuse for a second time, especially since this situation was more important?  

(Kaikeyi and Dasaratha)

At the end of this section, I was surprised by the story Dasharatha tells Kauslya.  I can see why he was so upset about losing Rama now, since he believes this is all caused by his previous actions.  He is of old age, though, and I am glad that Lakshmana, Sita, and Rama now have a home and permanent place to stay.  

Week 4 Reading Diary A: My First Insight to the Ramayana

This week I am doing the readings for Week 4, because I have not yet received my version of R. K. Narayan's Ramayana.  

When I took Myth-Folk last semester I noticed that the "story-within-a-story" theme was used heavily.  I can see that with how the epic begins that this theme will carry on.  As the story begins to unfold I am wondering what rumors are so terrible that Rama has exiled his beloved wife, who happens to be pregnant with his twins!  I am happy that Brahma has arranged Valmiki to help Sita, and that he is able to use Rama's sons in his plan.  I think that it is only coincidence that Rama has arranged a festival in the forest where he has sent Sita.  It makes me wonder whether he is hoping to see her and his sons, or if he has expected her to down herself such as Narada predicts if Valmiki hadn't agreed to help calm her down.  

I love how the story goes back to the very beginning with the history of Rama's father Dasharatha, Ravana, how Dasharatha came to have sons, and how Ravana used his boon from Brahma to conquer any kingdom he wished.  I feel especially bad for Indra throughout this section of the reading.  He put up the most resistance against Ravana, and suffered the most, but I am also very glad that Narayan and Brahma have found a way to help him find a way to end Ravana once an for all.  

The wedding of Rama and Sita is my favorite part of this section.  I love how Buck went into detail of how their wedding took place.  This gave me insight of their culture I was not familiar with prior to the reading.

  

(Rama and Sita's wedding.)