Valmiki Ramayana 2.7.8: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 7, Shloka 8

मन्थराप्रवेशः · Manthara Observes Ayodhya and Incites Kaikeyi

Spoken by MantharaSetting: Ayodhya

Devanagari script

उत्तमेनाभिसंयुक्ता हर्षेणार्थपरा सती ।

राममाता धनं किन्नु जनेभ्यस्सम्प्रयच्छति ॥८॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.7.8

Transliteration

uttamenābhisaṃyuktā harṣeṇārthaparā satī |

rāmamātā dhanaṃ kiṃ nu janebhyaḥ samprayacchati ||8||

Translation

Warum verteilt Rāmas Mutter—die doch als auf Reichtum bedacht gilt—nun, von außergewöhnlicher Freude erfüllt, Schätze unter den Menschen?

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Word by Word

• उत्तमेन: with excellent
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया (करण) एकवचनम्; हर्षेण इत्यस्य विशेषणम्: 'with excellent (joy)'
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• अभिसंयुक्ता: endowed (with)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-सम्-√युज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle) स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; 'endowed/possessed'
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• हर्षेण: with joy
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया (करण) एकवचनम्
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• अर्थ-परā: intent on wealth
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् राममाता प्रति; समासार्थः: अर्थे परा = 'intent on wealth'
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• सती: being/indeed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; participial adjective: 'being/indeed' (emphatic)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• राम-माता: Rama's mother
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक) + माता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा (कर्ता) एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: 'Rama's mother'
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• धनम्: wealth
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (कर्म) एकवचनम्
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• किम्: why
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रश्न (interrogative particle): 'why/what?'
• Role: Prayojana/Hetu (हेतु)

• नु: indeed/then (emphatic)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (particle) प्रश्न/निश्चयार्थक-बलवर्धनम्
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)

• जनेभ्यः: to the people
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान) बहुवचनम्
• Role: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)

• सम्प्रयच्छति: gives away/bestows
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-√यम्/√यच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

Sandhi Notes

• उत्तमेन+अभिसंयुक्ता → उत्तमेनाभिसंयुक्ता
• हर्षेण+अर्थपरा → हर्षेणार्थपरा
• किम्+नु → किन्नु (anusvāra assimilation)

Context

Why is Rama's mother, forever interested in the accumulation of money gifting away her wealth to men with great joy?

The teaching

Auspicious joy finds completion in generosity; wealth becomes dharmic when it circulates for the welfare and blessing of others.

Duties in tension

• Artha-saṅgraha (attachment to wealth) vs dāna-dharma (charitable giving)
• Private household economy vs public auspicious generosity

Ethical theme

Dāna-dharma / gṛhastha-dharma

How it resolves

Sattvic reorientation toward dāna prompted by auspicious joy

For your practice

Practice of dāna as a daily sādhana—offer a portion of one’s resources in gratitude during moments of joy.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Adbhuta (wonder), with Shringara (love)

Mood

Astonished, festive, anticipatory

Themes

• Itihasa
• Ethics
• Dharma
• Suspicion vs. generosity

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Mantharā
• Rāma
• janāḥ (people)

FAQs

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

The verse contrasts two impulses: dharmic dāna (generosity) as a response to auspicious events, and the tendency to interpret virtue through suspicion—warning how bias can distort moral perception.

What is the narrative situation?

Mantharā, unsettled by the celebration, notices gifts being distributed and questions the attendant about why Rāma’s mother is giving away wealth so joyfully.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Generosity (implied in the act of giving), though filtered through Mantharā’s doubtful framing—foreshadowing her manipulative role later.