Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 7, Shloka 14

मन्थराप्रवेशः

Manthara Observes Ayodhya and Incites Kaikeyi

Devanagari script

उत्तिष्ठ मूढे किं शेषे भयं त्वामभिवर्तते।उपप्लुतामौघेन किमात्मानं न बुध्यसे।।।।

Transliteration

uttiṣṭha mūḍhe kiṃ śeṣe bhayaṃ tvām abhivartate | upaplutām aughena kim ātmānaṃ na budhyase ||

Translation

“Get up, foolish one—why do you lie asleep? Fear is closing in on you. Why do you not see that you are being swept along, afloat in a flood of dangers?”

Word by Word

• उत्तिष्ठ: get up
• उत्तिष्ठ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-√स्था (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/imperative), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• मूढे: O fool
• मूढे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्रीलिङ्गे सम्बोधन (vocative/सम्बोधन) एकवचनम्

• किम्: why
• किम्: Prayojana/Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रश्न: 'why?'

• शेषे: do you lie/sleep
• शेषे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शी (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा (कर्ता) एकवचनम्

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (कर्म) एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• अभिवर्तते: approaches/comes upon
• अभिवर्तते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• उपप्लुताम्: overwhelmed
• उपप्लुताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपप्लुत (कृदन्त, उप-√प्लु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle) स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् आत्मानम् प्रति: 'overwhelmed/flooded'

• औघेन: by a flood/stream
• औघेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया (करण) एकवचनम्

• किम्: why
• किम्: Prayojana/Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रश्न: 'why?'

• आत्मानम्: yourself
• आत्मानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया (कर्म) एकवचनम्

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (negation particle)

• बुध्यसे: do you understand/realize
• बुध्यसे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √बुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

Context

Though you appear to be your husband's darling, in reality he dislikes you. The good fortune you boast of indeed is unstable like the stream of a river in summer.

Characters & Entities

• Mantharā
• Kaikeyī

FAQs

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

It illustrates how adharma often begins with distortion: fear is used as a tool to override calm discernment (viveka), pulling a person away from truthful judgment (satya).

What is the narrative situation?

Mantharā abruptly wakes Kaikeyī and tries to alarm her, claiming imminent danger.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The need for discernment and steadiness (a virtue implied by its absence): Kaikeyī is urged away from calm reason by Mantharā’s panic-inducing rhetoric.