Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 9: Kaikeyī Convinced by Mantharā
Text 2.9.3
इदं त्विदानीं संपश्य केनोपायेन मन्थरे।
भरतः प्राप्नुयाद्राज्यं न तु रामः कथञ्चन॥
idaṁ tv idānīṁ saṁpaśya kenopāyena manthare
bharataḥ prāpnuyād rājyaṁ na tu rāmaḥ kathañcana
idam tu = about this; idānīm = now; saṁpaśya = think; kena = by what; upāyena = means; manthare = Mantharā; bharataḥ = Bharata; prāpnuyāt = can get; rājyam = the kingdom; na tu rāmaḥ kathañcana = and never Rāma.
Mantharā, now think about this: By what means can Bharata and never Rāma get the kingdom?
Noticing Mantharā’s extreme intelligence, Kaikeyī asked her about the means to accomplish the task at hand.