Valmiki Ramayana 2.9.39: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 9, Shloka 39

मन्थराप्रेरणा · वरद्वय-स्मरणं च

Manthara’s Provocation and the Recalling of Two Boons

Spoken by Kaikeyi to MantharaSetting: Ayodhya (Kaikeyi's inner apartments)

Devanagari script

त्वमेव तु ममाऽर्थेषु नित्ययुक्ता हितैषिणी ॥३९॥

नाहं समवबुध्येयं कुब्जे राज्ञश्चिकीर्षितम् ।

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.9.39

Transliteration

tvam eva tu mamārtheṣu nitya-yuktā hitaiṣiṇī ||39||

na ahaṁ samavabudhyeyaṁ kubje rājñaś cikīrṣitam |

Translation

O Bucklige, nur du bist stets meinen Angelegenheiten zugewandt und suchst mein Wohl; ohne dich hätte ich nicht verstanden, was der König zu tun beabsichtigt.

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Word by Word

• tvam: you
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Nominative, Singular; subject
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• eva: alone/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle, exclusivity/emphasis
• Role: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)

• tu: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), contrast
• Role: Vyatireka (व्यतिरेक)

• mama: my
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Genitive, Singular
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)

• artheṣu: in (my) affairs
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural; sphere (विषय-सप्तमी)
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)

• nityayuktā: always engaged
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक) + yukta (√yuj धातु + क्त)
• Form: Karmadhāraya: nityaṃ yuktā; Feminine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with (tvam)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• hitaiṣiṇī: seeking welfare
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hita (प्रातिपदिक) + eṣiṇī (√iṣ धातु, desiderative/agent noun)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: hitam eṣate iti; Feminine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with tvam
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

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

• aham: I
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Nominative, Singular; subject
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• samavabudhyeyam: might understand/come to know
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ava-√budh (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Ātmanepada, 1st person, Singular; potential sense
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

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

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

• cikīrṣitam: intended act
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Desiderative past passive participle (सन्नन्त/देशिदेरटिव + क्त; here from cikīrṣ-); Neuter, Accusative, Singular; object of samavabudhyeyam
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

Sandhi Notes

• mamārtheṣu = mama + artheṣu
• nāhaṃ = na + aham
• rājñaś cikīrṣitam = rājñaḥ + cikīrṣitam (visarga sandhi)

Context

O hunchback !you alone always show interest in my affairs and seek my welfare. I might not have known the intended (deceptive) action of the king (without you).

The teaching

Dependence on a single adviser without dharmic scrutiny makes one vulnerable to engineered suspicion.

Duties in tension

• Trust within marriage vs suspicion of the king’s righteous plan
• Self-interest vs rājyadharma (right succession)
• Listening to wise counsel vs being swayed by manipulative counsel

Ethical theme

Governance ethics / counsel discernment

For your practice

Cultivate śraddhā with viveka: verify motives, avoid paranoia; choose sāttvika counsel.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Adbhuta (wonder), with Bhayanaka (fear)

Mood

Dependence, unease, awakening suspicion

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Ethics
• Itihasa

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Mantharā
• Daśaratha

FAQs

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

It highlights the danger of confusing ‘personal welfare’ with dharma. True welfare aligns with righteousness and truth, not with suspicion and manipulation.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī credits Mantharā as her trusted adviser and accepts Mantharā’s interpretation of the king’s intentions.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Trustworthiness in counsel is being (mistakenly) attributed to Mantharā; the verse invites reflection on the virtue of choosing morally sound advisers.