<P> As family servant of Kaikeyi, Manthara lived with her from the time of her birth . When she hears that King Dasharatha is planning to make his eldest son, Rama, prince regent (rather than Bharata, his child by Kaikeyi), she flies into a rage and reports the news to Kaikeyi . Kaikeyi is initially pleased and hands Manthara a pearl necklace . </P> <P> Manthara reminds Kaikeyi of the two boons Dasharatha had given her when she had once saved his life in a celestial battle . Kaikeyi had kept these boons for later and Manthara declares that this is the right time to ask for them . She advises Kaikeyi to lie in her room wearing soiled clothes and no ornaments . She should weep and cry, pretending anger . When Dasharatha would come to console her, she should immediately ask for the boons . The first boon would be that Bharata would be made the king . The second boon would be that Rama should be sent into the forest for exile for fourteen years . Manthara reckons that the fourteen - year banishment would be long enough for Bharata to consolidate his position in the Empire and weave his way into people's hearts . </P> <P> Manthara appears only once in the Ramayana 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 Shatrughna come upon her . Seeing her, Shatrughna flies into a violent rage over Rama's banishment and assaults her murderously . Kaikeyi begs Bharata to save her, which he does, telling Shatrughna 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 . </P> <P> In Ramanand Sagar's highly successful television series Ramayan, Manthara is played by veteran character actress Lalita Pawar . In this TV series, it is shown that when Rama returns to Ayodhya after exile, he goes to meet Manthara, who has been imprisoned in a dark room . Seeing Rama, Manthara falls into his feet and apologizes for all her sins on which Rama forgives her . </P>

Who is manthara and what does she say to queen kaikeyi that affects rama