Valmiki Ramayana 2.20.39: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 20, Shloka 39

अयोध्याकाण्डे विंशः सर्गः · Rama Enters Kauśalyā’s Antaḥpura; Ritual Preparations and the Shock of Exile

Spoken by Kausalya to RamaSetting: Ayodhya

Devanagari script

सा बहून्यमनोज्ञानि वाक्यानि हृदयच्छिदाम् ।

अहं श्रोष्ये सपत्नीनामवराणां वरा सती ॥३९॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.20.39

Transliteration

sā bahūny amanojñāni vākyāni hṛdayacchidām |

ahaṃ śroṣye sapatnīnām avarāṇāṃ varā satī ||39||

Translation

مع أني الملكةُ الكبرى، فسأضطر أن أسمع من ضرائري الأصغر مني كلماتٍ كثيرةً كريهةً تمزّق القلب.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• सा: she (I)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• बहूनि: many
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); agrees with vākyāni
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• अमनोज्ञानि: unpleasant
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-manojña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); agrees with vākyāni
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• वाक्यानि: words/speeches
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• हृदयच्छिदाम्: heart-rending
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hṛdaya-chid (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: hṛdaya + chid (हृदयम् छिनत्ति इति); Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (6/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifies vākyāni as 'of heart-cutting (kind)'
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• अहम्: I
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• श्रोष्ये: will have to listen / will hear
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ (लुट्, Periphrastic future), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), Uttama-puruṣa (1st person/उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• सपत्नीनाम्: of co-wives
• Type: Noun
• Root: sapatnī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (6/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)
• Role: Apādāna/Source (अपादान)

• अवराणाम्: of the younger/inferior (ones)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (6/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifies sapatnīnām
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)

• वरा: the eldest/best
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective to sā/aham
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• सती: being (a virtuous lady)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Present participial adjective from √as 'to be' via sat; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

Sandhi Notes

• बहून्यमनोज्ञानि = बहूनि + अमनोज्ञानि
• सपत्नीनामवराणाम् = सपत्नीनाम् + अवराणाम्

Context

I, being the eldest (of the queens) will have to listen to many heart-breaking and unpleasant words from my fellow-wives who are younger to me.

The teaching

Social rank cannot shield one from suffering; restraint in the face of verbal injury is a higher victory.

Duties in tension

• Maintaining royal dignity and patience vs responding to insult
• Truthful speech vs cruel speech within household politics

Ethical theme

Kṣamā-dharma and vāk-saṃyama

How it resolves

Endurance (titikṣā) implied as necessary

For your practice

Practice of kṣamā and mauna: observe the impulse to defend status; cultivate inner steadiness against ‘cutting words’.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Bhayanaka (fear)

Mood

Humiliated, fearful, wounded

Themes

• Dharma
• Ethics
• Court politics
• Honor
• Speech ethics (vāg-dharma)
• Suffering

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Kausalyā
• Rāma

FAQs

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

It underscores vāg-dharma (ethics of speech): cruel speech becomes an added injustice in times of misfortune, and Kausalyā anticipates the social harm caused by derisive words.

What is the narrative situation?

With Rāma’s prospects overturned, Kausalyā foresees humiliation and harsh remarks within the royal household from rival queens.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Kausalyā’s endurance (kṣānti) is implied—she anticipates insult but frames it as something she must bear rather than retaliate against.