Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 8: The Conversation Between Kaikeyī and Mantharā
Text 2.8.13
तां दृष्ट्वा परमप्रीतां ब्रुवन्तीं मन्थरां ततः।
रामस्यैव गुणान्देवी कैकेयी प्रशशंस ह॥
tāṁ dṛṣṭvā param aprītāṁ bruvantīṁ mantharāṁ tataḥ
rāmasyaiva guṇān devī kaikeyī praśaśaṁsa ha
tām = the; dṛṣṭvā = noticing; param1 aprītām = distressed; bruvantīm = speaking [thus]; mantharām = Mantharā; tataḥ = then; rāmasya eva = Rāma’s; guṇān = auspicious qualities; devī = the goddess; kaikeyī = Kaikeyī; praśaśaṁsa ha = praised.
1. Technical note: tataḥ param.
Then, noticing the distressed Mantharā speaking [thus], the goddess Kaikeyī praised Rāma’s auspicious qualities.
1 Technical note: tataḥ param.
Kaikeyī uprooted Mantharā’s objections [to Rāma’s coronation] while thinking, “If Rāma were to be as you have described, He would have the defects you have spoken of. But He is not as you have described and so He does not at all have the defects you mention.”
Sage Vālmīki praises Kaikeyī as a goddess because even though there were causes of disturbance, she was still undisturbed in mind.