Manthara
Encyclopedia
Manthara (also Kooni in some versions) in the Hindu
epic Ramayana
, is a servant who convinced Kaikeyi
that the throne of Ayodhya belonged to her son Bharata
and that Rama
should be exiled from the kingdom.
Manthara is described in the Ramayana as a hunchback, and extremely ugly. A family servant of Kaikeyi, she lived with her from the time of her birth. When she hears that King Dasaratha
is planning to make his oldest son, Rama prince regent (rather than Bharata, his child by Kaikeyi), she flies into a rage and reports the news to Kaikeyi. Although Kaikeyi is initially pleased, Manthara convinces her that is Rama comes into power, he will have Bharata exiled or killed in order to eliminate a possible threat to his power. After convincing Kaikeyi of her danger, she suggests that scheme that will result in Rama's banishment.
Manthara appears only once in the Ramayan after Rama's banishment. Having been rewarded by Kaikeyi with costly clothing and jewels, she is walking in the palace gardens when Bharata and his half-brother Satrughna come upon her. Seeing her, Satrughna flies into a violent rage over Rama's banishment, and assaults her murderously. Kaikeyi begs Bharata to save her, which he does, telling Satrughna that it is a sin to kill a woman, and that Rama would be furious with them both if he does such a thing. He relents and the brothers leave, while Kaikeyi attempts to comfort Manthara.
Although in the Ramayana, Manthara's motives for inducing Kaikeyi to have Rama banished are never stated, other sources turn her into a divine agent, doing what is necessary to ensure that Rama will come into conflict with Ravana
. Thus the Mahabharata
and Padma Purana
describe her as an apsara
sent to Earth to accomplish that goal , while the Ramacharitamanas
describes her as a "wicked handmaid" whose mind Sarasvati further corrupts to make her desire Rama's banishment. Despite appearing in a variety of sources, the idea of Manthara as a divine agent is not universally accepted; in a major commentary on the Ramayana, the Amrtakataka, Kataka Madhava Yogindra rejects the idea, calling its originator (who he does not name) "the master of equivocation."
Madhvacharya in his Madhva Ramayana (Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya), clearly mentions her as an Avatara of Alakshmi
(The Wife of The Demon Kali
).
's highly successful television series Ramayan
, Manthara is played by veteran character actress Lalita Pawar
.
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
epic Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
, is a servant who convinced Kaikeyi
Kaikeyi
Kaikeyi , in the Hindu epic Rāmāyaṇa, was the second of King Daśaratha's three wives and a queen of Ayodhyā. She was the mother of Bharata...
that the throne of Ayodhya belonged to her son Bharata
Bharata (Ramayana)
In the Hindu epic Ramayana, Bharata was the second brother of the main protagonist Rama, and the son of Dasaratha and Kaikeyi. Dasaratha was the Emperor of Ayodhya and belonged to the Suryavansha or Solar Dynasty...
and that Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
should be exiled from the kingdom.
Manthara is described in the Ramayana as a hunchback, and extremely ugly. A family servant of Kaikeyi, she lived with her from the time of her birth. When she hears that King Dasaratha
Dasaratha
Dasharatha was a king of Ayodhya of the Ikshvaku dynasty whose life story is narrated principally in the Hindu epic Ramayana...
is planning to make his oldest son, Rama prince regent (rather than Bharata, his child by Kaikeyi), she flies into a rage and reports the news to Kaikeyi. Although Kaikeyi is initially pleased, Manthara convinces her that is Rama comes into power, he will have Bharata exiled or killed in order to eliminate a possible threat to his power. After convincing Kaikeyi of her danger, she suggests that scheme that will result in Rama's banishment.
Manthara appears only once in the Ramayan after Rama's banishment. Having been rewarded by Kaikeyi with costly clothing and jewels, she is walking in the palace gardens when Bharata and his half-brother Satrughna come upon her. Seeing her, Satrughna flies into a violent rage over Rama's banishment, and assaults her murderously. Kaikeyi begs Bharata to save her, which he does, telling Satrughna that it is a sin to kill a woman, and that Rama would be furious with them both if he does such a thing. He relents and the brothers leave, while Kaikeyi attempts to comfort Manthara.
Although in the Ramayana, Manthara's motives for inducing Kaikeyi to have Rama banished are never stated, other sources turn her into a divine agent, doing what is necessary to ensure that Rama will come into conflict with Ravana
Ravana
' is the primary antagonist character of the Hindu legend, the Ramayana; who is the great king of Lanka. In the classic text, he is mainly depicted negatively, kidnapping Rama's wife Sita, to claim vengeance on Rama and his brother Lakshmana for having cut off the nose of his sister...
. Thus the Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
and Padma Purana
Padma Purana
Padma Purana , one of the major eighteen Puranas, a Hindu religious text, is divided into five parts.In the first part of the text, sage Pulastya explains to Bhishma about religion and the essence of the religion. The second part describes in detail Prithvi...
describe her as an apsara
Apsara
An Apsara , also known as Vidhya Dhari or Tep Apsar in Khmer, Accharā or A Bố Sa La Tư , Bidadari , Biradali , Widodari and Apson , is a female spirit of the clouds and waters in...
sent to Earth to accomplish that goal , while the Ramacharitamanas
Ramacharitamanas
Shri Ramcharitmanas , also spelt Shri Ramcharitamanasa, is an epic poem in Awadhi, composed by the 16th-century Indian poet, Goswami Tulsidas...
describes her as a "wicked handmaid" whose mind Sarasvati further corrupts to make her desire Rama's banishment. Despite appearing in a variety of sources, the idea of Manthara as a divine agent is not universally accepted; in a major commentary on the Ramayana, the Amrtakataka, Kataka Madhava Yogindra rejects the idea, calling its originator (who he does not name) "the master of equivocation."
Madhvacharya in his Madhva Ramayana (Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya), clearly mentions her as an Avatara of Alakshmi
Alakshmi
Alakshmi is the older sister of Lakshmi and the Hindu goddess of misfortune. She is also the second wife of Kali, the male demon from the Kalki Purana and the Mahabharata.-Background:...
(The Wife of The Demon Kali
Kali (Demon)
In Hinduism, Kali is the reigning lord of Kali Yuga and archenemy of Kalki, the 10th and final Avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu...
).
Portrayal in film and television
In Ramanand SagarRamanand Sagar
Ramanand Sagar was an Indian film director. He is most famous for making the extremely popular Ramayan television series, a television adaptation of the ancient Indian epic of the same name, starring Arun Govil as Lord Ram and Deepika Chikhalia as Sita.Sagar was born at Asal Guru-Ke near Lahore...
's highly successful television series Ramayan
Ramayan (TV series)
Ramayan is a highly successful Indian television series created, written, and directed by Ramanand Sagar. The 78-episode series originally aired weekly on Doordarshan from January 25, 1987, to July 31, 1988, on Sundays at 9:30 a.m...
, Manthara is played by veteran character actress Lalita Pawar
Lalita Pawar
Lalita Pawar was a prolific Indian actress, who later became famous as character actress, appearing in over 700 films in Hindi and Marathi cinema, where she gave hits like, Netaji Palkar , made by Bhalji Pendharkar, New Hana Pictures’ Sant Damaji, Navyug Chitrapat’s Amrit, written by VS Khandekar,...
.