Valmiki Ramayana 2.9.41 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 9, Shloka 41

मन्थराप्रेरणा—वरद्वय-स्मरणं च

Manthara’s Provocation and the Recalling of Two Boons

Devanagari script

उरस्तेऽभिनिविष्टं वै यावत्स्कन्धात् समुन्नतं।।।।अधस्ताच्चोदरं शातं सुनाभमिव लज्जितम्।

Transliteration

uras te 'bhiniviṣṭaṁ vai yāvat skandhāt samunnatam |

adhastāc ca udaraṁ śātaṁ sunābham iva lajjitam ||

Translation

صدركِ ممتلئٌ مرتفعٌ حتى الكتفين؛ وتحت ذلك بطنٌ نحيلٌ، بسُرّةٍ جميلة، كأنها تستتر حياءً.

Word by Word

• uras: chest/breast-region
• uras: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• te: your
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Ṣaṣṭhī (6/षष्ठी), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• abhiniviṣṭam: set/firm, well-formed
• abhiniviṣṭam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhi-ni-viś (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; used adjectivally qualifying 'uras'

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (निपात), emphasis/assurance particle

• yāvat: up to/as far as
• yāvat: Deśa/Parimāṇa (देश/परिमाण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Form: Avyaya used as limit-marker (परिमाण/अवधि)

• skandhāt: from the shoulder; up to the shoulder
• skandhāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: skandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Pañcamī (5/पञ्चमी), Ekavacana; ablative of limit/extent

• samunnatam: raised/high
• samunnatam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ud-nam (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle, Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; qualifying 'uras'

• adhastāt: below/beneath
• adhastāt: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adhastāt (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb of place (देशवाचक-अव्यय)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (समुच्चय-निपात)

• udaram: belly/abdomen
• udaram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• śātam: slender/thin
• śātam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; qualifying 'udaram'

• sunābham: having a beautiful navel
• sunābham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su-nābha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) su+ nābha; Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; qualifying 'udaram'

• iva: like/as if
• iva: Upamāna-marker (उपमान-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Upamā-avyaya (उपमा-अव्यय)

• lajjitam: bashful/shy
• lajjitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: lajj (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle, Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; qualifying 'udaram'

Context

Your breasts are thick and are as high as your shoulders. Beneath them lies your belly with its beautiful navel (waist) looking slender as if out of bashfulness.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Mantharā

FAQs

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

The scene illustrates ethical distraction: when one’s mind turns to sensual or flattering speech, moral clarity about duty and truth can weaken.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī continues praising Mantharā in intimate, bodily detail, signaling deepening attachment and susceptibility.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implied virtue is restraint (dama) in speech and attention; without it, one becomes easier to manipulate away from dharma.