Valmiki Ramayana · Ayodhya Kanda · Sarga 7
उपस्थितः प्रयुञ्जानस्त्वयि सान्त्वमनर्थकम्। अर्थेनैवाद्य ते भर्ता कौसल्यां योजयिष्यति
upasthitaḥ prayuñjānastvayi sāntvamanarthakam| arthenaivādya te bhartā kausalyāṃ yojayiṣyati
When your husband approaches you he swears in meaningless, appeasing words. But today he is going to bestow benefit on Kausalya only.
— M.N. Dutt (1891)
Commentary
Dasharatha, Manthara claims, has used sweet words to deceive Kaikeyi while planning to benefit Kausalya. The accusation recasts Dasharatha's love as strategic — every kind word becomes a lie. This is the deepest cut: corrupting the memory of love itself.
प्रियवादवञ्चक