Srimad Valmiki Ramayana

In this verse, Manthara executes the final stroke of her emotional manipulation. By stating that she remembered this old, dormant promise solely out of 'affection' (snehat) for Kaikeyi, she frames herself not as a meddling servant, but as a loyal guardian of Kaikeyi's interests. This emotional appeal is designed to make Kaikeyi trust her counsel implicitly. Having established the means (the boons) in previous verses, Manthara now commands the end goal: immediate disruption. She explicitly urges Kaikeyi to 'restrain' (nigrhya) the ongoing preparations for Rama's coronation. This marks the transition from merely instilling fear about Rama’s rise to providing a concrete, actionable plan. Manthara effectively tells Kaikeyi that the boons are the weapon, and the target is the immediate cessation of the festivities commenced by King Dasharatha.