Valmiki Ramayana 2.9.36 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 9, Shloka 36

मन्थराप्रेरणा—वरद्वय-स्मरणं च

Manthara’s Provocation and the Recalling of Two Boons

Devanagari script

अनर्थमर्थरूपेण ग्राहिता सा ततस्तया।।।।हृष्टा प्रतीता कैकेयी मन्थरामिदमब्रवीत्।

Transliteration

anartham artha-rūpeṇa grāhitā sā tatas tayā |

hṛṣṭā pratītā kaikeyī mantharām idam abravīt ||

Translation

فلما جعلتها مانثارا تقبل الضرر في صورة النفع، قالت كايكَيِي، وقد اقتنعت وفرحت، هذه الكلمات لمانثارا.

Word by Word

• anartham: harm/misfortune
• anartham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anartha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; object of grāhitā (made to accept)

• artharūpeṇa: as (if) beneficial/in the form of advantage
• artharūpeṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: arthasya rūpeṇa (in the guise of benefit); Neuter, Instrumental, Singular; manner/instrument

• grāhitā: was made to accept/was induced
• grāhitā: Kriyā (क्रियापद-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √grah (धातु) + ṇic (णिच्, causative) + -ta (क्त)
• Form: Causative past passive participle (णिजन्त कर्मणि क्त); Feminine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with sā (Kaikeyī)

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Feminine, Nominative, Singular; subject

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण), 'then/thereafter'

• tayā: by her
• tayā: Karta (कर्ता, passive agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Feminine, Instrumental, Singular; agent in passive (कर्तृ-तृतीया) referring to Mantharā

• hṛṣṭā: delighted
• hṛṣṭā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √hṛṣ (धातु) + -ta (क्त)
• Form: Past participle used adjectivally; Feminine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with kaikeyī

• pratītā: convinced/believing
• pratītā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prati-√i (धातु) + -ta (क्त)
• Form: Past participle; Feminine, Nominative, Singular; 'convinced/believing'

• kaikeyī: Kaikeyi
• kaikeyī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaikeyī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular; subject of abravīt

• mantharām: to Manthara
• mantharām: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantharā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular; addressee/object of speech (सम्प्रदान-भाव)

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Neuter, Accusative, Singular; object of abravīt

• abravīt: said
• abravīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्, aorist), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

Context

That Kaikeyi, even though endowed with sound foresight, expressed her sense of wonder at the words of the hunchback and chose a wrong path like a young (immature) girl.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Mantharā

FAQs

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

Adharma can appear as ‘artha’ (advantage). The verse underlines the need for discernment (viveka): ethical choices must be judged by truth and righteousness, not by persuasive framing.

What is the narrative situation?

Mantharā has successfully manipulated Kaikeyī; Kaikeyī now responds, pleased and persuaded by the deceptive counsel.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The virtue emphasized by absence is wisdom/discrimination: Kaikeyī’s failure to see ‘anartha’ as anartha becomes the turning point that threatens dharma in Ayodhyā.