Valmiki Ramayana 2.9.21: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 9, Shloka 21

मन्थराप्रेरणा · वरद्वय-स्मरणं च

Manthara’s Provocation and the Recalling of Two Boons

Spoken by Manthara to KaikeyiSetting: AyodhyaPlaces named: वनम् (forest/exile)

Devanagari script

चतुर्दश हि वर्षाणि रामे प्रव्राजिते वनम् ।

प्रजाभावगतस्नेहस्स्थिरः पुत्रो भविष्यति ॥२१॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.9.21

Transliteration

caturdaśa hi varṣāṇi rāme pravrājite vanam |

prajābhāvagata-snehaḥ sthiraḥ putro bhaviṣyati ||21||

Translation

Denn wenn Rāma für vierzehn Jahre in den Wald verbannt wird, wird dein Sohn fest gegründet sein, da er die Zuneigung und Treue des Volkes gewonnen hat.

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Word by Word

• चतुर्दश: fourteen
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्दश (प्रातिपदिक; संख्या)
• Form: संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective); नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया/प्रथमा बहुवचनस्य विशेषणम् (qualifies varṣāṇi)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Compound: Dvigu

• हि: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधान/हेतु-भाव (indeed/for)
• Role: Sambandha-nipāta (सम्बन्ध-निपात)

• वर्षाणि: years
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन (Nominative plural)
• Role: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)

• रामे: when/with Rama (being)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (Locative singular)
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)

• प्रव्राजिते: (when) banished/exiled
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√व्रज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसके सप्तमी एकवचन (agreeing with rāme; locative absolute)
• Role: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण; locative absolute)

• वनम्: to the forest
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Accusative singular)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• प्रजा: people/subjects
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (as first member in compound)
• Role: Samāsa-aṅga (समास-अङ्ग)

• भाव: state/being
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (as compound member)
• Role: Samāsa-aṅga (समास-अङ्ग)

• गत: gone/entered
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle, क्त) used adjectivally; compound member
• Role: Samāsa-aṅga (समास-अङ्ग)

• स्नेहः: affection
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; समासः: प्रजा-भाव-गत-स्नेहः (तत्पुरुष; ‘affection that has gone to/entered the state of the people’)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• स्थिरः: firm/steady
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies putraḥ)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• पुत्रः: son
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (Nominative singular)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• भविष्यति: will become
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

Sandhi Notes

• प्रजाभावगतस्नेहस्स्थिरः → प्रजा + भाव + गत + स्नेहः + स्थिरः (ः + स् → स्स)
• Locative absolute: रामे प्रव्राजिते (when Rama is exiled)

Context

If Rama is banished into the forest for fourteen years your son will be firmly established in the kingdom by affectionately winning the hearts of the people.

The teaching

Political ends pursued through adharma sow long-term suffering; legitimacy cannot be manufactured by removing the righteous.

Duties in tension

• Queenly duty to uphold righteous succession vs maternal ambition for Bharata
• Kingdom’s welfare (popular beloved heir) vs political manipulation

Ethical theme

Rājadharma / nīti-adharma (power politics)

For your practice

Cautionary reflection on desire and manipulation; cultivate vairāgya and satya in speech.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Raudra (fury), with Bhayanaka (fear)

Mood

Calculating, coercive, foreboding

Themes

• Dharma
• Ethics
• Itihasa
• Kingship
• Public legitimacy
• Political strategy

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• forest (vana)
• fourteen years

FAQs

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

It shows an unethical calculus of legitimacy: dharma-based rule is not gained by removing a righteous rival, but by merit, service, and fairness to subjects.

What is the narrative situation?

Mantharā argues that prolonged exile will shift public affection toward Bharata, stabilizing his claim.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Indirectly, it points to the virtue of earning public trust through conduct—though here it is framed cynically as a political outcome.