Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 11, Shloka 9

कैकेयीवरप्रार्थना

Kaikeyi Demands the Two Boons

Devanagari script

भद्रे हृदयमप्येतदनुमृशोद्धरस्व मे।एतत्समीक्ष्य कैकेयि ब्रूहि यत्साधु मन्यसे।।।।

Transliteration

bhadre hṛdayam apy etad anumṛśoddharasva me | etat samīkṣya kaikeyi brūhi yat sādhu manyase ||

Translation

O gentle lady, my very heart is distressed—touch it and lift me from this anguish. Having considered it, O Kaikeyī, tell me what you think is right.

Word by Word

• भद्रे: O gentle lady
• भद्रे: सम्बोधन
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; vocative used as address ‘O good lady’

• हृदयम्: heart
• हृदयम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म), एकवचन; object of उद्धरस्व

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; ‘also/even’)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: कर्म (अन्वय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; demonstrative ‘this’ (apposition to हृदयम्)

• अनुमृश्य: having considered
• अनुमृश्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) with उपसर्ग अनु-; अव्ययभाव; ‘having considered/touched’

• उद्धरस्व: save/relieve
• उद्धरस्व: क्रिया (आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्+√हृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; imperative ‘lift up/save’

• मे: my
• मे: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6/सम्बन्ध) एकवचन (enclitic); genitive ‘my/of me’

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म), एकवचन; object of समीक्ष्य (consider this)

• समीक्ष्य: having examined
• समीक्ष्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+√ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having examined’

• कैकेयि: O Kaikeyi
• कैकेयि: सम्बोधन
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैकेयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• ब्रूहि: tell
• ब्रूहि: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• यत्: what
• यत्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘what’ (object of ब्रूहि)

• साधु: well / rightly
• साधु: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साधु (अव्यय/विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb) ‘well/rightly’

• मन्यसे: you consider
• मन्यसे: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; present 2nd sg ‘you think/consider’

Context

I swear in the name of the scion of the Raghu dynasty, the invincible, broad-mindedRama, the best among men worthy of long life. Tell me what you have in mind.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

A ruler’s decisions should be guided by what is sādhu (right/good), not merely by emotion; the verse foreshadows the danger of making dharmic choices under distress and persuasion.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha, unsettled and emotionally exposed, urges Kaikeyī to speak her mind after ‘considering what is right’.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The virtue invoked is discernment toward sādhu (the right course), though Daśaratha’s vulnerability shows how difficult such discernment can be.