Valmiki Ramayana 2.9.6 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 9, Shloka 6

मन्थराप्रेरणा—वरद्वय-स्मरणं च

Manthara’s Provocation and the Recalling of Two Boons

Devanagari script

किं न स्मरसि कैकेयि स्मरन्ती वा निगूहसे।यदुच्यमानमात्मार्थं मत्तस्त्वं श्रोतुमिच्छसि।।।।

Transliteration

kiṃ na smarasi kaikeyi smarantī vā nigūhase | yad ucyamānam ātmārthaṃ mattas tvaṃ śrotum icchasi ||

Translation

Kaikeyī, erinnerst du dich nicht—oder verschweigst du es, obwohl du dich erinnerst—an das, was ich zu deinem eigenen Vorteil sagen will und was du von mir zu hören begehrst?

Word by Word

• किम्: why/what
• किम्: Prashna-nipāta (प्रश्न-निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक अव्ययप्रयोग (interrogative particle: why/what)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha-nipāta (प्रतिषेध-निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation)

• स्मरसि: do you remember
• स्मरसि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कैकेयि: O Kaikeyi
• कैकेयि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैकेयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• स्मरन्ती: remembering
• स्मरन्ती: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृसामानाधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘त्वम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa-nipāta (विकल्प-निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्प (or)

• निगूहसे: do you conceal
• निगूहसे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-गूह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म; object of ‘इच्छसि’/‘श्रोतुम्’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (that which)

• उच्यमानम्: being said
• उच्यमानम्: Karma-anvaya (कर्मसामानाधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + यमान (कृदन्त; कर्मणि वर्तमान)
• Form: कर्मणि वर्तमानकृदन्त (present passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘यत्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• आत्मार्थम्: for your own welfare
• आत्मार्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (आत्मनः अर्थः = for oneself), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थ (for your own good)

• मत्तः: from me
• मत्तः: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; ‘from me’

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन; infinitival purpose with ‘इच्छसि’)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), ‘to hear’

• इच्छसि: you wish
• इच्छसि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

Context

O Kaikeyi, don't you remember in your own interest what I'm going to tell you or are you hiding it, wishing to hear from me?

Characters & Entities

• Mantharā
• Kaikeyī

FAQs

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

It highlights the power of counsel: dharma depends on seeking and giving advice grounded in truth and welfare, not self-serving intrigue.

What is the narrative situation?

Mantharā primes Kaikeyī for a ‘reminder’ meant to provoke action, suggesting Kaikeyī already knows the advantageous strategy.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discernment is implicitly demanded (remember rightly, do not conceal), though the speaker’s intent is manipulative rather than virtuous.