Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 9, Shloka 60

मन्थराप्रेरणा—वरद्वय-स्मरणं च

Manthara’s Provocation and the Recalling of Two Boons

Devanagari script

अथो पुनस्तां महिषीं महीक्षितोवचोभिरत्यर्थमहापराक्रमैः।उवाच कुब्जा भरतस्य मातरंहितं वचो राममुपेत्य चाहितम्।।।।

Transliteration

atho punas tāṃ mahiṣīṃ mahīkṣito vacobhir atyartha-mahā-parākramaiḥ | uvāca kubjā bharatasya mātaraṃ hitaṃ vaco rāmam upetya cāhitam ||

Translation

Then again the hunchback addressed that queen, the king’s consort and Bharata’s mother, with words of fierce force—words meant as ‘benefit’ for Bharata, yet harmful as they bore upon Rāma.

Word by Word

• अथो: then; and so
• अथो: सम्बन्ध/प्रकरण-प्रवर्तक (discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निपातः/समुच्चयार्थकः (particle/conjunctive: 'then/and so')

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb)

• ताम्: that (her)
• ताम्: कर्म (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (feminine; accusative; singular)

• महिषीम्: queen; chief wife
• महिषीम्: कर्म (object; in apposition to ताम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिषी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (feminine; accusative; singular)

• महीक्षितः: of the king (earth-protector)
• महीक्षितः: सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीक्षित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; षष्ठी-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (masculine; genitive; singular)

• वचोभिः: with words
• वचोभिः: करण (instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः; तृतीया-विभक्तिः; बहुवचनम् (neuter; instrumental; plural)

• अत्यर्थमहापराक्रमैः: with extremely mighty/powerful (words)
• अत्यर्थमहापराक्रमैः: करण (instrument; adjective to वचोभिः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अत्यर्थ + महा + पराक्रम (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; तृतीया-विभक्तिः; बहुवचनम् (masculine; instrumental; plural); विशेषणम्—वचोभिः इति (qualifying 'words')

• उवाच: said; spoke
• उवाच: क्रिया (main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उवाच (लिट्)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (perfect); प्रथम-पुरुषः; एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम् (3rd person singular, perfect, parasmaipada)

• कुब्जा: the hunchback woman (Mantharā)
• कुब्जा: कर्ता (agent/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुब्जा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (feminine; nominative; singular)

• भरतस्य: of Bharata
• भरतस्य: सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; षष्ठी-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (masculine; genitive; singular)

• मातरम्: mother
• मातरम्: कर्म (object; addressee)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (feminine; accusative; singular)

• हितम्: beneficial; well-intended
• हितम्: कर्म (object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हित (कृदन्त; √धा/√हि?; प्रातिपदिकवत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (neuter; accusative; singular); विशेषणम्—वचः इति (qualifying 'speech')

• वचः: words; speech
• वचः: कर्म (object; 'speech/words' said)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (neuter; accusative; singular)

• रामम्: Rama
• रामम्: कर्म (object of उपेत्य: having approached Rama)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (masculine; accusative; singular)

• उपेत्य: having approached
• उपेत्य: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial: prior action to 'said')
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उप + इ (धातु) → उपेत्य (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकालिकक्रिया (prior action)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction)

• अहितम्: harmful; ill-intended
• अहितम्: कर्म (object-qualifier; contrastive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अहित (कृदन्त; प्रातिपदिकवत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (neuter; accusative; singular); विशेषणम्—(तदेव) वचः इति (qualifying the same 'speech')

Context

Addressing queen Kaikeyi, the mother of Bharata, with extremely powerful words, that hunchback again made these utterances beneficial to Bharata and detrimental to Rama:

Characters & Entities

• Mantharā (Kubjā)
• Kaikeyī
• Bharata
• Rāma
• Daśaratha (implied by 'king')

FAQs

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

It underscores vāk-dharma: powerful speech must be measured by truth and universal welfare; ‘benefit’ to one party achieved through harm to the righteous is ethically suspect.

What is the narrative situation?

The narration frames Mantharā’s renewed argumentation: she speaks forcefully to steer Kaikeyī toward Bharata’s enthronement and against Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse spotlights rhetorical power (parākrama in speech), but as a morally ambivalent capacity when severed from dharma.