Valmiki Ramayana 2.9.4: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 9, Shloka 4

मन्थराप्रेरणा · वरद्वय-स्मरणं च

Manthara’s Provocation and the Recalling of Two Boons

Devanagari script

एवमुक्ता तया देव्या मन्थरा पापदर्शिनी ।

रामार्थमुपहिंसन्ती कैकेयीमिदमब्रवीत् ॥४॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.9.4

Transliteration

evam uktā tayā devyā mantharā pāpa-darśinī |

rāmārtham upahiṁsantī kaikeyīm idam abravīt ||4||

Translation

So von Königin Kaikeyī angesprochen, sprach Mantharā, von böser Gesinnung, diese Worte zu Kaikeyī, darauf bedacht, Rāmas Sache zu schädigen.

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Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक

• उक्ता: having been addressed
• उक्ता: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृसामानाधिकरण; agreeing with ‘मन्थरा’)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘मन्थरा’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• तया: by her
• तया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण/कर्तृ (by her)

• देव्या: by the queen
• देव्या: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; ‘तया’ इत्यस्य विशेष्य (the queen)

• मन्थरा: Manthara
• मन्थरा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्थरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• पापदर्शिनी: evil-minded
• पापदर्शिनी: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृसामानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पापदर्शिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (evil-minded/evil-seeing)

• रामार्थम्: Rama's interest
• रामार्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रामस्य अर्थः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; उपहिंसन्ती इत्यस्य कर्म

• उपहिंसन्ती: harming/destroying
• उपहिंसन्ती: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृसामानाधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-हिंस् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘मन्थरा’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• कैकेयीम्: to Kaikeyi
• कैकेयीम्: Sampradāna/Karma (सम्प्रदान/कर्म; to Kaikeyi)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैकेयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Context

Thus addressed by queen Kaikeyi, that evil minded Manthara said this to Kaikeyi in order to spoil the interest of Rama:

Characters & Entities

• Mantharā
• Kaikeyī
• Rāma

FAQs

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

The verse warns that adharma often begins with intention: when speech is driven by malice and envy, it becomes a force that harms the righteous (here, Rāma’s rightful cause).

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī has engaged Mantharā in conversation; the narration signals that Mantharā is about to deliver a manipulative speech aimed at obstructing Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast (implicitly), Rāma’s dharmic legitimacy is highlighted—his “interest/cause” is something that can be harmed only through deceit and intrigue.