Valmiki Ramayana 2.7.32: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 7, Shloka 32

मन्थराप्रवेशः · Manthara Observes Ayodhya and Incites Kaikeyi

Setting: अयोध्या (अन्तःपुर, implied)

Devanagari script

अतीव सा तु संहृष्टा कैकेयी विस्मयान्विता ।

एकमाभरणं तस्यै कुब्जायै प्रददौ शुभम् ॥३२॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.7.32

Transliteration

atīva sā tu saṃhṛṣṭā kaikeyī vismayānvitā |

ekam ābharaṇaṃ tasyai kubjāyai pradadau śubham ||32||

Translation

অতিশয় হর্ষিত আৰু বিস্ময়েৰে ভৰা কৈকেয়ীয়ে সেই কুব্জা নাৰীক এটা শুভ, দীপ্তিমান অলংকাৰ দিলে।

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Word by Word

• अतीव: exceedingly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतीव (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/अतिशयवाचक अव्यय (exceedingly)
• Role: क्रियाविशेषण (Degree/क्रियाविशेषण)

• सा: she
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन
• Role: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrastive particle)
• Role: निपात (Particle/निपात)

• संहृष्टा: delighted
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-हृष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘delighted’
• Role: विधेय (Predicate adjective)

• कैकेयी: Kaikeyi
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैकेयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन
• Role: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)

• विस्मयान्विता: filled with astonishment
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्मय + अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त; समास)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘endowed’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः: विस्मयेन अन्विता = filled with astonishment
• Role: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘कैकेयी’)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• एकम्: one
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण
• Role: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘आभरणम्’)

• आभरणम्: ornament
• Type: Noun
• Root: आभरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc/कर्म) एकवचन
• Role: कर्म (Object/कर्म)

• तस्यै: to her
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dat/सम्प्रदान) एकवचन
• Role: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)

• कुब्जायै: to the hunchback woman
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुब्जा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dat) एकवचन
• Role: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)

• प्रददौ: gave
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)

• शुभम्: beautiful/auspicious
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with आभरणम्)
• Role: विशेषण (Qualifier)

Sandhi Notes

• विस्मयान्विता = विस्मयेन अन्विता (तृतीया-तत्पुरुषभाव)
• एकमाभरणं = एकम् + आभरणम् (a-sandhi)

Context

Filled with immense joy and wonder (at the news), Kaikeyi gifted a beauthful ornament to that hunchback.

The teaching

Duties in tension

• दानधर्म (उचित पात्रता) बनाम स्वार्थ-षड्यन्त्र को प्रोत्साहन
• राज-हित बनाम निजी गठजोड़

Ethical theme

दान-नीति/राज-आचार

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shringara (love), with Adbhuta (wonder)

Mood

Gleaming, pleased, complicit

Themes

• Itihasa
• Ethics
• Gift-giving
• Influence and reward
• Dharma vs attachment

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Mantharā (kubjā)

FAQs

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

It cautions that rewards should follow righteous counsel; gifting in response to manipulative advice can entrench adharma by incentivizing harmful speech.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī, pleased by what she has heard, immediately rewards Mantharā, strengthening their conspiratorial bond.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Generosity appears outwardly, but the episode underscores misplaced generosity—giving without discerning the moral quality of the act being rewarded.