Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 18, Shloka 18

अष्टादशः सर्गः

Kaikeyī Discloses the Boons: Exile to Daṇḍaka and Bharata’s Consecration

Devanagari script

एतदाचक्ष्व मे देवि तत्त्वेन परिपृच्छतः।किं निमित्तमपूर्वोयं विकारो मनुजाधिपे।।।।

Transliteration

etad ācakṣva me devi tattvena paripṛcchataḥ | kiṃ nimittam apūrvo 'yaṃ vikāro manujādhipe ||

Translation

দেবি, আমি সত্য জেনে বারবার জিজ্ঞাসা করছি—মানবাধিপ রাজায় এই অভূতপূর্ব পরিবর্তন কোন কারণে ঘটেছে, তা যথার্থভাবে বলো।

Word by Word

• एतत्: this (matter)
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• आचक्ष्व: tell, explain
• आचक्ष्व: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: cakṣ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/dative), एकवचन

• देवि: O queen/lady
• देवि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• तत्त्वेन: truly, in truth
• तत्त्वेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन; manner

• परिपृच्छतः: of (me) asking repeatedly
• परिपृच्छतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-prach (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन; "of me who am asking"

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; interrogative

• निमित्तम्: cause, reason
• निमित्तम्: Karta/Karma (कर्ता/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nimitta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• अपूर्वः: unprecedented
• अपूर्वः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण of विकारः

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• विकारः: change, disturbance
• विकारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vikāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• मनुजाधिपे: in the king (lord of men)
• मनुजाधिपे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manuja + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मनुजानाम् अधिपः)

Context

O Devi I am repeatedly asking you the cause of this unprecedented change in the king please tell me the truth.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha

FAQs

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

Satya (truth) is demanded as a moral necessity in crisis; truthful disclosure prevents further harm and supports righteous action.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma presses Kaikeyī to reveal the real reason for Daśaratha’s strange transformation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Satya-niṣṭhā (commitment to truth): Rāma insists on an honest explanation before acting.