Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 78: Śatrughna Punishes Mantharā
Text 2.78.22
हन्यामहमिमां पापां कैकेयीं दुष्टचारिणीम्।
यदि मां धार्मिको रामो नासूयेन्मातृघातकम्॥
hanyām aham imāṁ pāpāṁ kaikeyīṁ duṣṭa-cāriṇīṁ
yadi māṁ dhārmiko rāmo nāsūyen mātṛ-ghātakam
hanyām = have killed; aham = I would; imām = this; pāpām = sinful woman; kaikeyīm = Kaikeyī; duṣṭa-cāriṇīm = of evil deeds; yadi = if; mām = Me; dhārmikaḥ = the dhārmika; rāmaḥ = Rāma; na = would not; asūyet = criticize; mātṛ-ghātakam = as a killer of My mother.
“If the dhārmika Rāma would not criticize Me as a killer of My mother, I would have killed Kaikeyī, this sinful woman of evil deeds.
Bharata anticipated that Śatrughna might respond, “Don’t kill Your mother. Kill this hunchback for she is the root cause of all duplicity and envy.” Therefore, Bharata speaks the next verse.