Manthara came in just then wearing gorgeous clothes and jewels. Shatrughna had already come to know of Manthara’s wicked role in the whole sad episode. Seeing her looking so triumphant, his fury exploded. He kicked her so hard that she fell with a crash, and broke her head. That was the end of Manthara. Bharata came out of his terrible stupor and spoke harshly to his mother, telling her that he wanted neither the Crown nor her. She had caused the death of his father, and sent his brother into an undeserved exile. Her action had caused Lakshmana and the gentle Seeta also to be exiled. And she had made him, Bharata, the cause of all the misery, condemning him to a life of infamy. He walked out of his mother’s room to seek out Kaushalya and Sumitra and ask their forgiveness. Kaikeyi was left to regret her cruelty and folly.
Rage and Punishment
