Scene Iii

(Kaikeyi, Bharata and Sautrudhna. Bharata is weeping bitterly.)

BHARATA: Sautrudhna, brother, go and bring that filthy animal Manthara. Bring that hunchbacked creature here. I shall set it ail right. Bring her here.

(Sautrudhna goes out and returns dragging Manthara. Bharata violently and ferociously grabs her by the ear, pulls her hair and gives her a violent kick.)

BHARATA: You, you are the culprit! You are the one who inspired my mother, who instigated my mother to send Rama into exile for fourteen years. My dearest Rama, the light of my heart!

(Manthara falls to the ground unconscious.)

BHARATA (turning to Kaikeyi, nearly in tears): Mother, are you a human being? Have I to call you Mother? You have acted like an animal. Do you think that you have made me happy? I shall treat you ruthlessly. Every day I will make your life miserable! (Pauses.) No, no. You are forgiven. Rama's heart of forgiveness, his heart of compassion has forgiven you. He will be sorry if I treat you this way. But I tell you, I am Rama's brother Bharata, and not your son! My mother is Kausalya, and not you, you ingrate, you impostor! I am leaving for the forest. I will bring my brother back. It is he who will rule the Kingdom. I am not only his brother, I am his devoted slave. I will not come back unless and until I have brought the brother of my heart and soul, Rama, back to Ayodhya, to his Kingdom.

(Exit Bharata)