Manthara had conspired against Shri Ram many times

Manthara is considered an important and perhaps the most despicable character of Ramayana. Disgusting because on his advice, Kaikeyi asked for 14 years of exile for Shri Ram. Manthara means hunchback in Sanskrit and it might have got this name because of its hunchback. She was the nurse of Kaikeyi, the third wife of King Dasharatha and after marriage, she also came to Ayodhya with Kaikeyi.Due to the upbringing of Kaikeyi, he also had a lot of influence on Kaikeyi. This is described at many places in Ramayana when Kaikeyi scolds Manthara for her talkativeness and says that you can say so many things to me only because you are like my mother.This conversation is specifically described when Manthara instigates Kaikeyi against Ram. In the Ramayana, she has been described as an eloquent woman who is extremely adept in argumentation and can make anyone agree to her point of view with her logical words.
There is also a description in the Ramayana that when King Dashrath decides to make Shri Ram the king of Ayodhya, all the gods go to Shri Narayan and tell him that after Ram becomes the king, the purpose of this incarnation will remain unfulfilled, hence you Do something about this. On this, Lord Vishnu expresses his inability by saying that he will not interfere in any work on earth.When he spoke like this, all the gods prayed to Mahadevi Saraswati to help them. On the request of the Gods, Mother Saraswati herself prepares the project of Shri Ram’s exile from the mouth of Manthara. It is also said that Manthara already had an apprehension that Maharaj Dasharatha could make Ram the king, that is why she had already asked the king of Kaikeyi country and Kaikeyi’s father Ashwapati to call Bharat and Shatrughan to their maternal home so that both of them could Have no idea of ​​his plan.
In the Bal-kanda of “Sri Ranganatha Ramayana”, the Telugu version of the Ramayana, it is described that once the four brothers are playing and Manthara throws the ball away. Angered by this, Shri Ram hits Manthara’s knees with his stick, which breaks her knee. Crying, Manthara tells this to Kaikeyi and on Kaikeyi’s advice, Maharaj Dashrath sends all four brothers to Gurukul so that they can get education and they should never make such a mistake.Due to this incident, Manthara always remains angry with Ram and keeps looking for an opportunity to take revenge from Ram. She gets a chance at Ram’s coronation and tries to send Ram into exile and ultimately succeeds in it.According to another story, Kaikeyi loves Ram more than her son Bharat and spends more time with him due to which Manthara is always jealous of Ram. At one place it is also described that Manthara tries to provoke Bharat towards Ram but Bharat scolds her and silences her.
When the announcement of Ram becoming the king is made, Manthara goes to Kaikeyi and says, “O innocent queen! You are sitting here happily while there your son is in trouble.” Kaikeyi gets worried and asks, “What kind of crisis?” On this Manthara says that “Maharaj has decided to make Ram the king.” Hearing this, Kaikeyi happily gives him her priceless diamond necklace and says,”What is the problem in this? Ram is the eldest son and is fully eligible for the throne. Ayodhya will be benefited only if he becomes the king.” Seeing Kaikeyi so happy, Manthara says, “Perhaps you have forgotten your insult, but I cannot forget how the old king forced your father to marry you to him.
Otherwise what is the difference between you and them? And don’t forget that whose son sits on the throne, only his mother rules the kingdom. Till today, the king loved you the most because of your beauty, but your supremacy will end as soon as Ram takes over the kingdom. Then you will be nothing more than an ordinary maid like me. What’s more, Ram will get Bharat killed because he wants to establish his kingdom without any fear and it is no surprise that you too get killed or you are put in jail for the rest of your life.”After provoking Kaikeyi in various ways, Manthara tells her to go to the palace of wrath and when the king comes to see her, she should ask him for the two boons which he had promised her. In the first verse, ask for the throne for Bharat and in the second verse, ask for 14 years of exile for Ram so that Ram cannot create any disturbance after becoming the king of India.
After the episode of Ram’s exile, the description of Manthara comes only once more when Bharat and Shatrughan return and get the news of Ram, Sita and Lakshman’s exile. He remains in extreme anger and then his eyes fall on Manthara who is wandering in the palace wearing the jewelery given by Kaikeyi.As soon as the angry Shatrughan sees him, he becomes ready to kill him. To save herself from them, Manthara prays to Bharat to protect her. Bharat protects him from Shatrughan and says that if brother Ram comes to know that you have killed a woman, he will be extremely sad and will never forgive us. It is described in many places that later when Kaikeyi has a change of heart, Manthara is abandoned by everyone and lives a lonely life in the royal palace.It is also mentioned somewhere that when Ram returns after exile, he first meets Manthara and thanks her because it is because of her that he got exile and a sinner like Ravana was destroyed. It is described in “Kamba-Ramayana” that Manthara is put in prison and Ram frees her from there after exile. Many thinkers also believe that the work of Kaikeyi and Manthara, despite being bad, was in the interest of the society because because of them, Ram was able to go to the forest and do the real work of his incarnation – killing Ravana..!!