Shloka 22

मन्थराकैकेयीसंवादः — Mantharā’s Counsel to Kaikeyī

Ayodhyā’s Succession Alarm

Devanagari script

भविता राघवो राजा राघवस्यानु यस्सुतः।राजवंशात्तु कैकेयि भरतःपरिहास्यते।।2.8.22।।

Transliteration

bhavitā rāghavo rājā rāghavasyānu yas sutaḥ | rājavaṃśāt tu kaikeyi bharataḥ parihāsyate || 2.8.22 ||

Translation

سيصيرُ راغhava ملكًا، وبعد راغhava يتولّى المُلكَ ابنُه؛ أمّا أنتِ يا كايكِي، فسيُقصى بهاراتا عن السلالة الملكية ويغدو موضعَ سخرية.

Word by Word

• भविता: will become
• भविता: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्तृ-प्रत्यय (agent noun used as future periphrastic sense), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थः—भविष्यति (will become)

• राघवः: Raghava (Rama)
• राघवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• राघवस्य: of Raghava
• राघवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• अनु: after/following
• अनु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनु (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/अनुगमनार्थक (after, following)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• सुतः: son
• सुतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• राज-वंशात्: from the royal line
• राज-वंशात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज (प्रातिपदिक) + वंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (राज्ञः वंशः)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (but/indeed)

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

• भरतः: Bharata
• भरतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• परिहास्यते: will be ridiculed/treated as a laughingstock
• परिहास्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-हस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः—परिहासं प्राप्स्यते (will be mocked/derided/excluded)

Context

Rama, the scion of the Raghus, will become king. After Rama, his son will suceed him. O Kaikeyi, as for Bharata, he will be debarred from royal succession (altogether).

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (Rāghava)
• Bharata
• Kaikeyī

FAQs

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

It highlights how adharma can be seeded by fear of status-loss; dharma calls for truth-based counsel, not incitement that fractures family and social order.

What is the narrative situation?

Mantharā paints a dire future: Rāma’s reign followed by his son, leaving Bharata marginalized—meant to provoke Kaikeyī into intervention.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implied virtue is loyalty to truth and justice in counsel; Mantharā instead exemplifies the vice of alarmist persuasion.