Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 8: The Conversation Between Kaikeyī and Mantharā
Text 2.8.8
विदुषः क्षत्रचरित्रे प्राज्ञस्य प्राप्तकारिणः।
भयात्प्रवेपे रामस्य चिन्तयन्ती तवात्मजम्॥
viduṣaḥ kṣatra-caritre prājñasya prāpta-kāriṇaḥ
bhayāt pravepe rāmasya cintayantī tavātmajam
viduṣaḥ = for He is intelligent; kṣatra-caritre = in kṣatriya acts; prājñasya = wise; prāpta-kāriṇaḥ = and accomplishes His purposes without delay; bhayāt = out of fear; pravepe = I shiver; rāmasya = of Rāma; cintayantī = thinking; tava = your; ātmajam = of son.
Thinking of your son, I shiver out of fear of Rāma, for He is intelligent, wise in kṣatriya acts and accomplishes His purposes without delay at the right time.
Kaikeyī might wonder, “Bharata might be closer to the throne [than Lakṣmaṇa and Śatrughna], but when Rāma, the first claimant to the throne, is present, why be bothered about Bharata getting the kingdom?” Anticipating this, Mantharā speaks this verse. She thought that Rāma was intelligent, that is, naturally discriminating and especially wise in kṣatriya acts or politics. She was afraid of Rāma, that is, afraid of the future calamity [of His coronation]. Mantharā thought of Bharata as being devoid of these features of Rāma and so cried.