Valmiki Ramayana 2.9.38: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 9, Shloka 38

मन्थराप्रेरणा · वरद्वय-स्मरणं च

Manthara’s Provocation and the Recalling of Two Boons

Devanagari script

कुब्जे त्वां नाभिजानामि श्रेष्ठां श्रेष्ठाभिथायिनीम् ॥३८॥

पृथिव्यामसि कुब्जानामुत्तमा बुद्धिनिश्चये ।

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.9.38

Transliteration

kubje tvāṁ nābhijānāmi śreṣṭhāṁ śreṣṭhābhidhāyinīm ||38||

pṛthivyām asi kubjānām uttamā buddhi-niścaye |

Translation

O Bucklige, ich kannte dich nicht als so vortrefflich, du, die du so erhabenen Rat zu geben weißt. Auf dieser Erde bist du unter den Buckligen die Erste an Festigkeit des Urteils.

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Word by Word

• kubje: O hunchback
• kubje: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kubjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Accusative, Singular; object of abhijānāmi

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध)

• abhijānāmi: I recognize/know
• abhijānāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√jñā (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ, Parasmaipada, 1st person, Singular

• śreṣṭhām: as the best
• śreṣṭhām: Karma-pratiyogin (कर्म-विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular; predicate adjective to tvām

• śreṣṭhābhithāyinīm: one who speaks excellent words
• śreṣṭhābhithāyinīm: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + abhidhāyinī (√dhā/√dhāy?; here from √dhā/√dhāy 'to speak/name' via abhidhā- 'to call', feminine agent noun)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: śreṣṭham abhidhāyati iti; Feminine, Accusative, Singular; agrees with tvām

• pṛthivyām: in the world
• pṛthivyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛthivī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular; location

• asi: are
• asi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ, Parasmaipada, 2nd person, Singular

• kubjānām: among hunchbacks
• kubjānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kubjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural; partitive genitive (among)

• uttamā: the best
• uttamā: Pradhāna-viśeṣaṇa (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular; predicate adjective to tvam (understood)

• buddhiniścaye: in determination of intellect
• buddhiniścaye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: buddhi (प्रातिपदिक) + niścaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: buddheḥ niścayaḥ; Locative, Singular; sphere/field (विषय-सप्तमी)

Context

(She said) O hunchback, I never knew that you can speak such excellent words or decide things intelligently. You are the best among the hunchbacks of this world.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Mantharā

FAQs

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

The verse illustrates how misplaced praise can validate unethical advice. Dharma requires testing counsel against truth and justice, not against personal liking or novelty.

What is the narrative situation?

Having been persuaded, Kaikeyī begins to admire Mantharā’s counsel and openly commends her.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The virtue at stake is discernment in choosing advisers; Kaikeyī’s admiration shows a lapse in evaluating counsel by dharmic standards.