गतोदके सेतुबन्धो न कल्याणि विधीयते।
उत्तिष्ठ कुरु कल्याणि राजानमनुदर्शय॥
gatodake setu-bandho na kalyāṇi vidhīyate
uttiṣṭha kuru kalyāṇi rājānam anudarśaya
gata-udake = after all of its water has receded; setu-bandhaḥ = a dam to be built; na = not; kalyāṇi = auspicious lady; vidhīyate = is meant; uttiṣṭha = get up; kuru = do as I have said; kalyāṇi = illustrious lady; rājānam = for the king [in the house of anger]; anudarśaya = and wait.
Auspicious lady, a dam is not meant to be built after all of its water has receded. Illustrious lady, get up. Do as I have said and wait for the king [in the house of anger].1
1 Notice that Mantharā is absolutely unfazed by Kaikeyī’s words of glorification. This is itself a sign of her sharp intelligence—to not be swayed by glorification, propaganda and so on. Of course, her intelligence was sharply evil. Nevertheless, she was smart. Kaikeyī-devī was remarkably confident that she could bring her hen-pecked husband under her full control and achieve her objectives.