Valmiki Ramayana 2.36.18: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 36, Shloka 18

अयोध्याकाण्डे षट्त्रिंशः सर्गः · Daśaratha’s orders for Rama’s escort; Kaikeyi’s fear; the Asamañjasa precedent

Addressed to KaikeyiSetting: Ayodhyā palace (court/inner assembly)

Devanagari script

तत्र वृद्धो महामात्रस्सिद्धार्थो नाम नामतः ।

शुचिर्बहुमतो राज्ञः कैकेयी मिदमब्रवीत् ॥१८॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.36.18

Transliteration

tatra vṛddho mahāmātraḥ siddhārtho nāma nāmataḥ |

śucir bahumato rājñaḥ kaikeyīm idam abravīt ||18||

Translation

Dort war ein betagter hoher Minister, dem Namen nach Siddhārtha, lauter im Wandel und vom König hochgeachtet; er sprach zu Kaikeyī diese Worte.

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Word by Word

• tatra: there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, locative adverb (देशवाचक)
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)

• vṛddhaḥ: aged
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vṛddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (qualifying mahāmātraḥ)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• mahāmātraḥ: great minister
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (mahā ‘great’ + mātra ‘officer’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• siddhārthaḥ: Siddhārtha (name)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siddha + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (‘one whose purpose is accomplished’ as a name); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Bahuvrihi

• nāma: named
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय/निपात, ‘named/called’ (नाम-निपात)
• Role: Sambandha (निपात)

• nāmataḥ: by name
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāmatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, adverb ‘by name’ (नामतः)
• Role: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)

• śuciḥ: pure
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuci (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (qualifying mahāmātraḥ)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• bahumataḥ: highly esteemed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahumata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (qualifying mahāmātraḥ: ‘highly esteemed’)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• rājñaḥ: of the king
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन (Genitive Singular)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)

• kaikeyīm: Kaikeyī
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaikeyī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Accusative Singular)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• idam: this
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Accusative Singular; ‘this (speech)’)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• abravīt: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन (3rd singular)
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

Sandhi Notes

• महामात्रस्सिद्धार्थो = महामात्रः + सिद्धार्थः (visarga before s-)
• शुचिर्बहुमतो = शुचिः + बहुमतः
• कैकेयी मिदम् = कैकेयीम् + इदम्

Context

An aged minister named Siddhartha who justified his name, highly respected by the king said this to Kaikeyi:

The teaching

In crisis, the pure and experienced must speak hita even to the powerful; silence becomes complicity.

Duties in tension

• Minister's duty to advise against adharma vs deference to queen/royal will
• Courtly obedience vs moral truth-telling

Ethical theme

Rājadharmaẓmantri-dharma (duty of counsel)

How it resolves

Counsel/remonstrance

For your practice

Model for satya-hita speech: calm, respectful, firm; cultivate śaucam and courage to counsel rightly.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shanta (peace), with Karuna (compassion)

Mood

Measured, admonitory, grave

Themes

• Dharma
• Rajadharma
• Ethics
• Itihasa
• Counsel

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Siddhārtha
• Kaikeyī
• King (unnamed in this verse)

FAQs

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

The verse foregrounds the dharmic role of a pure and respected minister: righteous counsel should come from integrity (śuci) and public trust, especially in matters affecting the royal household and the realm.

What is the narrative situation?

The text introduces an elderly high minister named Siddhārtha, setting the scene for his address to Queen Kaikeyī within the unfolding Ayodhyā court crisis.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Ministerial integrity and credibility—purity of conduct (śuci) and being esteemed for sound judgment—are emphasized as prerequisites for advising in state and family ethics.