Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 9: Kaikeyī Convinced by Mantharā
Text 2.9.22

क्रोधागारं प्रविश्याद्य क्रुद्धेवाश्वपतेः सुते।
शेष्वानन्तर्हितायां त्वं भूमौ मलिनवासिनी॥

krodhāgāraṁ praviśyādya kruddhevāśvapateḥ sute
śeṣvānantarhitāyāṁ tvaṁ bhūmau malina-vāsinī

krodha-āgāram = the house of anger; praviśya = enter; adya = now; kruddhā = angry; iva = as if; aśvapateḥ = of Aśvapati; sute = O daughter; śeṣva = lie down; anantarhitāyām = on the bare; tvam1 bhūmau = floor; malina-vāsinī = with soiled clothes.

 

O daughter of Aśvapati, now enter the house of anger.1 With soiled clothes, lie down on the bare floor as if angry

 

After instructing Kaikeyī about the means [to accomplish her plans], she talks about how to prepare [herself] to carry out the means.

The house of anger is where women stay when they are angry out of a loving quarrel with their husband and so on. Kaikeyī was to lie down on the bare floor, that is, on the floor without a bedding on it.

1 Technical note: tvam śeṣva.

 

1 Aśvapati refers to the king of Kekaya.