Valmiki Ramayana 2.8.1: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 8, Shloka 1

मन्थराकैकेयीसंवादः · Mantharā’s Counsel to Kaikeyī

Ayodhyā’s Succession Alarm

Devanagari script

मन्थरा त्वभ्यसूयैनामुत्सृज्याभरणं च तत् ।

उवाचेदं ततो वाक्यं कोपदुःखसमन्विता ॥१॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.8.1

Transliteration

mantharā tv abhyasūyainām utsṛjya ābharaṇaṃ ca tat |

uvāca idaṃ tato vākyaṃ kopa-duḥkha-samanvitā ||1||

Translation

Doch Mantharā, von Missgunst gegen sie erfüllt, warf jenes Schmuckstück fort; dann, von Zorn und Kummer durchdrungen, sprach sie diese Worte.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• mantharā: Mantharā
• mantharā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantharā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tu: but / indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); विरोध/अन्वय (but/indeed)

• abhyasūya: having resented
• abhyasūya: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi + asūy (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having envied/resented’

• enām: her
• enām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• utsṛjya: having thrown away
• utsṛjya: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ut + sṛj (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having cast aside’

• ābharaṇam: ornament
• ābharaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ābharaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction: and)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘that (ornament)’

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेष्य (object)

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्/अनन्तरम् (then/thereafter)

• vākyam: statement
• vākyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• kopaduḥkhasamanvitā: endowed with anger and sorrow
• kopaduḥkhasamanvitā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kopa + duḥkha + samanvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः (kopa-duḥkha = anger and sorrow; samanvita = endowed)

Context

Annoyed with Kaikeyi and filled with rage and sorrow, Manthara discarded the ornament (gifted to her) and said these words:

Characters & Entities

• Manthara
• Kaikeyi

FAQs

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

The verse warns that envy and resentment distort judgment; when emotions govern speech, dharma and truth are easily undermined.

What is the narrative situation?

Mantharā begins to manipulate Kaikeyi: she rejects the gift and, in agitation, prepares to deliver provocative counsel.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast (implicitly), the virtue needed is self-control (dama); Mantharā is shown as lacking it, driven by kopa and duḥkha.