Shloka 25

मन्थराकैकेयीसंवादः — Mantharā’s Counsel to Kaikeyī

Ayodhyā’s Succession Alarm

Devanagari script

असावत्यन्तनिर्भग्नस्तव पुत्रो भविष्यति।अनाथवत्सुखेभ्यश्च राजवंशाच्च वत्सले।।2.8.25।।

Transliteration

asāv atyanta-nirbhagnas tava putro bhaviṣyati | anāthavat sukhebhyaś ca rājavaṃśāc ca vatsale || 2.8.25 ||

Translation

سيُسحقُ ابنُكِ سحقًا شديدًا، يا حبيبة؛ كيتيمٍ يُحرَمُ من النعيم ويُقطَعُ عن وراثة السلالة الملكية.

Word by Word

• असौ: that/he (your son)
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अत्यन्त-निर्भग्नः: utterly broken/ruined
• अत्यन्त-निर्भग्नः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अत्यन्त (अव्यय) + निर्भग्न (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अत्यन्तं निर्भग्नः)

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

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

• भविष्यति: will become
• भविष्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (simple future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अनाथवत्: like an orphan
• अनाथवत्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वत्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (like/as an orphan)

• सुखेभ्यः: from comforts
• सुखेभ्यः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

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

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• वत्सले: O dear one
• वत्सले: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्सला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Context

O (Kaikeyi) dear! cut off from royal succession as well as from its comforts, your son will become totally forlorn and broken-hearted.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Bharata (implied by 'your son')

FAQs

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

It demonstrates how attachment can be weaponized against dharma: fear for one’s child can lead to unethical choices unless tempered by truth, justice, and the wider good.

What is the narrative situation?

Mantharā escalates the emotional pressure, predicting Bharata’s ruin to provoke Kaikeyī into acting against Rāma’s coronation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implied virtue is impartiality and adherence to satya in decision-making; the verse shows the opposite tactic—emotional manipulation to override righteous judgment.