Valmiki Ramayana 2.9.7: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 9, Shloka 7

मन्थराप्रेरणा · वरद्वय-स्मरणं च

Manthara’s Provocation and the Recalling of Two Boons

Spoken by Manthara to KaikeyiSetting: अयोध्या (अन्तःपुर)

Devanagari script

मयोच्यमानं यदि ते श्रोतुं छन्दो विलासिनि ।

श्रूयतामभिधास्यामि श्रुत्वा चापि विमृश्यताम् ॥७॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.9.7

Transliteration

mayocyamānaṃ yadi te śrotuṃ chando vilāsini |

śrūyatāmabhidhāsyāmi śrutvā cāpi vimṛśyatām ||7||

Translation

يا حسناء، إن طاب لك أن تسمعي ما أقوله، فاسمعي؛ سأُفصح به. فإذا سمعتِه فتأمّليه أيضًا وتدبّريه.

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Word by Word

• मया: by me
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• उच्यमानम्: being said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + यमान (कृदन्त; कर्मणि वर्तमान)
• Form: कर्मणि वर्तमानकृदन्त (present passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘[वचनम्]’ understood
• Role: Karma (कर्म; object of ‘श्रोतुम्’)

• यदि: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, शर्त (conditional: if)
• Role: Hetu/Śarta (हेतु/शर्त)

• ते: to you
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘to you/for you’ sense contextually (genitive-dative overlap)
• Role: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान; intended hearer)

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन् (infinitive)
• Role: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)

• छन्दः: desire/pleasure
• Type: Noun
• Root: छन्दस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘desire/pleasure’
• Role: Karta (कर्ता; ‘it is your wish’)

• विलासिनि: O graceful one
• Type: Noun
• Root: विलासिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)

• श्रूयताम्: listen
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘please listen’
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• अभिधास्यामि: I will tell
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-धा (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): having heard
• Role: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय
• Role: Samuccaya-nipāta (समुच्चय-निपात)

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/अवधारण (also/even)
• Role: Samuccaya-nipāta (समुच्चय-निपात)

• विमृश्यताम्: reflect/consider
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-मृश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘let it be reflected upon’
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया; injunction)

Sandhi Notes

• मयोच्यमानम् = मया + उच्यमानम्
• श्रूयतामभिधास्यामि = श्रूयताम् + अभिधास्यामि
• चापि = च + अपि

Context

O lovely Kaikeyi! if it pleases you to hear from me, I shall tell you. Listen and think over it, too.

The teaching

Duties in tension

• परामर्श (हितोपदेश) बनाम कूटनीति/अधर्म-प्रेरणा
• रानी का कर्तव्य (राजकुल-हित) बनाम स्वार्थ-प्रेरित श्रवण

Ethical theme

नीति-भ्रंश / कुपरामर्श

Mood and themes

Rasa

Bhayanaka (fear), with Raudra (fury)

Mood

कुटिल, प्रलोभक, सावधान

Themes

• Manipulation
• Politics
• Turning Point
• Advice

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Manthara
• Kaikeyi

FAQs

Why does Manthara ask Kaikeyi to 'reflect' (vimṛśyatām) on her words?

Manthara is about to present a distorted view of Dharma and politics to incite fear in Kaikeyi regarding Rama's coronation. She asks Kaikeyi to reflect to ensure the manipulation sinks deep into her psyche, turning her affection for Rama into suspicion.

What is the significance of the address 'Vilasini' in this context?

Manthara uses the term 'Vilasini' (lovely or playful woman) to flatter Kaikeyi. By appealing to her vanity and status, Manthara prepares the ground to convince Kaikeyi that her beauty and position are threatened by Kausalya's rise.