Valmiki Ramayana 2.20.42 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 20, Shloka 42

अयोध्याकाण्डे विंशः सर्गः

Rama Enters Kauśalyā’s Antaḥpura; Ritual Preparations and the Shock of Exile

Devanagari script

अत्यन्तनिगृहीतास्मि भर्तुर्नित्यमतन्त्रिता।परिवारेण कैकेय्या स्समा वाप्यथवाऽवरा।।।।

Transliteration

atyantanigṛhītāsmi bhartur nityam atantritā | parivāreṇa kaikeyyāḥ samā vāpy athavā ’varā ||

Translation

Ich bin völlig gezügelt und stets ohne Selbstbestimmung unter meinem Gemahl; im Palast behandelt man mich als gleich—ja sogar geringer—als die Dienerinnen Kaikeyīs.

Word by Word

• अत्यन्तनिगृहीता: greatly restrained/oppressed
• अत्यन्तनिगृहीता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: atyanta-nigṛhīta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त) from √grah with ni; Feminine, Nominative, Singular; with intensifier atyanta (अत्यन्त) as upasarga-like adverb

• अस्मि: am
• अस्मि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्, present), Parasmaipada, Uttama-puruṣa, Singular

• भर्तुः: of (my) husband
• भर्तुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6/षष्ठी), Singular

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nityam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb (काल)

• अतन्त्रिता: without independence
• अतन्त्रिता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-tantrita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: PPP-like adjectival formation from tantr (tantra) with privative a-; Feminine, Nominative, Singular; predicate to speaker

• परिवारेण: by the retinue/attendants
• परिवारेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parivāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3/तृतीया), Singular

• कैकेय्याः: of Kaikeyi
• कैकेय्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaikeyī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6/षष्ठी), Singular

• समा: equal
• समा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular; predicate adjective

• वा: or
• वा: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, disjunctive particle (विकल्प)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle (समुच्चय/अपि = also)

• अथवा: or else
• अथवा: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: athavā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, alternative conjunction (विकल्प)

• अवरा: inferior
• अवरा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular; predicate adjective

Context

Treating me as an equal or inferior to the attendants of Kaikeyi and making mealways dependent, my husband has greatly suppressed me.

Characters & Entities

• Kausalyā
• Rāma
• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī

FAQs

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

It critiques adharmic governance within the household: when power aligns with favoritism, rightful dignity is violated, and dependence becomes a tool of suppression.

What is the narrative situation?

Kausalyā describes her diminished status at court due to Kaikeyī’s ascendancy and Daśaratha’s yielding to that influence.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Kausalyā’s truth-telling (satya in speech) is emphasized—she names the injustice plainly rather than disguising it.