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Continued from yesterday’s instalment
 Guha then turned to Sumitra and the queen is introduced by Bharata with a reverence that matches the veneration that he showed to Kausalya. When Guha turns towards Kaikeyi, the Poet himself is not able to contain himself. He devotes an entire verse - unlike in the case of the other two - just to mention that Guha stood before her and asked for an introduction. The Poet spends three lines and even extends to the first half of the last line, to decry Kaikeyi. One is not able to find who - Bharata or the Poet - is more caustic in showering acrimony on her. Here is how the Poet narrates Guha walking to the presence of Kaikeyi and asking who she was.
‘sudu mayanaththidai than thuNai Ega,’ (One who paved the way) to lead her lord to the funeral pyre,
‘thOndral thuyark kadalin Ega,’ (one who was responsible for the deed that) immersed her son (Bharata) into a sea of grief,
‘kadumai aar kaanagaththuk karuNai aar kali Ega,’ (one who was behind the order that made) Rama the most merciful to reach the most formidable jungle.
Three dreaded deeds in one go! She who was responsible for the death of her husband, for the distress that her son was going through and most important, who was instrumental for Rama, the benevolent, going on exile. And the Poet does not stop there. He adds,
‘nedumayaal andru aLandha ulagu ellaam,’ Trivikrama measured all the three worlds with his feet by assuming his viswaroopa. But this woman did not have to do that.
‘than manaththaal ninaindhu seyyum kodumayaal aLandhaalai,’ She measured and equalled all the three worlds by the malevolence of her mind. Trivikrama had to assume a great form to do it. Just her mind was sufficient for her to win all the three worlds in a trice.
‘Guha moved to the presence of such a woman who is so hard hearted and who caused so much misery on all sides by her cruelty,’ the Poet ends with all his vehemence, ‘and asked
‘aar ivar’ may I know who she is?’
Bharata then ventures into the choicest of vituperative remarks. ‘Don’t you know her by her very appearance? Does she need to be introduced? When distress is writ large on all of our faces here, look, what a calm posture she is able to maintain! Is she not the only one who is untouched by the misery that all of us are immersed in? You should have known her by this time. If not, I will tell you.
 ‘padar ellam padaiththaaLai,’ She is the one who is capable of creating newer and newer kinds of misery in this world.
‘pazhi vaLarkkum seviliyai,’ She is the nurse who nurtures, tends and grows (the baby known as) disrepute, infamy and calumny.
‘kudarilE kidandherkkum uyir baaram kuraindhu thEya,’ I lived in her womb. And because of that my body has now lost the weight of its soul. I am just a lifeless automaton now, because of her.
‘udar elaam uyir ilaa enath thOndrum.’ This kind of misery is not limited to me. Look all around and everyone is distressed and is suffering. Look at the faces around. You will see the kind of distress they are undergoing. ‘ulagaththE oruththi andrE idar ilaa mugaththaaLai,’
and she is the only one whose countenance does not bear any semblance of agony. You should have known her by this very distinctive quality.
‘arindhilaayEl,’ if you are not able to understand,
‘in nindraaL enai iindraaL,’ she is the one who gave birth to me.
Observe how careful he is to avoid the word ‘mother’ when referring to Kaikeyi, his own mother.
More follows...
Hari Krishnan
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