Passage 12

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In plain words

One small example. You all know it.

Mantharā came, and out of jealousy of Śrī Rāma told many kinds of tales against Him, and Kaikēyī's heart was badly turned even against Rāma, whom she had brought up with great love and fondness. Mantharā told them. What became of Mantharā for speaking bad words? How many troubles she fell into! Does any woman take the name of such a woman, ‘Mantharā’? No one takes it. The reason? We say that the name of one who speaks such bad words should not be ours. And we do not go into those bad deeds again. You see, Kaikēyī listened to the bad words. She lived in the queen's palace. She was the princess of Kashmir. She was the chief queen of King Daśaratha. Kaikēyī herself taught Śrī Rāmacandra archery. She cherished Śrī Rāma far more than her own son Bharata. Even against such a Rāma her heart was turned. By what? By listening to bad words. Because she took selfishness and self-interest as her support, her fate turned out this way. The whole world blamed her. See. Not only did it blame her; because Kaikēyī listened to bad words, does any woman take the name Kaikēyī? Among women there are no names Kaikēyī and Mantharā. What is the reason? Because of these two faults, speaking bad words and listening to bad words, people judged them unworthy of the name and gave it up, so that no one should take it. Next, thinking bad thoughts. The Kauravas, rich in adharma, injustice, wrongdoing and misconduct, had nothing but bad thoughts against the Pāṇḍavas, who were embodiments of Dharma. Nothing but schemes to ruin them. Putting them in the house of lac and setting it on fire. Making them eat poison: in this way they went on thinking evil. Just because there were always bad thoughts in their hearts, Duryōdhana, Duśśāsana and all the rest came to a bad end. Does anyone take their names? No one takes them. What is the reason? Those with bad intentions, those with bad thoughts: we do not want those wicked men's names at all. No one takes the names of Duryōdhana, Duśśāsana and the rest, who had those bad thoughts; yet their thoughts are there in full, from the feet to the head. Tell Me, what use is that? When we believe in one thing, we must make the effort to believe in the second as well.

Next, bad looks. Kīcaka. This Kīcaka cast evil looks on Draupadī, a great and chaste mother, a woman of great virtue. In such circumstances what fate befell Kīcaka?