Shloka 19

Sāvitrī’s Report and Nārada’s Prognosis (सावित्र्याख्यान—सत्यवान्-गुणवर्णनं तथा अल्पायुषः पूर्वसूचना)

Devanagari script

“रानी कौसल्याका भाग्य अवश्य अच्छा है, जिनके पुत्रका राज्याभिषेक होगा। तुम्हारा ऐसा सौभाग्य कहाँ? जिसका पुत्र राज्यका अधिकारी ही नहीं है' ।।

Transliteration

rājñī kauśalyāyā bhāgyaṃ avaśyam acchaṃ hi yasyāḥ putrasya rājābhiṣeko bhaviṣyati | tava tādṛśaṃ saubhāgyaṃ kutaḥ? yasyāḥ putro rājya-adhikārī eva na asti || sā tad-vacanam ājñāya sarvābharaṇa-bhūṣitā | devī vilagna-madhyeva bibhratī rūpam uttamam ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya said: “Queen Kauśalyā’s fortune is surely excellent, for her son will be consecrated to the kingship. But where is such good fortune for you, whose son has no claim to the throne at all?” Hearing Mantharā’s words, Queen Kaikeyī—slender-waisted and adorned with every ornament—assumed her most captivating beauty and went privately to her husband. Her smile revealed the purity of her outwardly affectionate intent; laughing softly and displaying love, she began to speak in a sweet voice.

Word by Word

• सा: she
• सा: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वचनम्: speech/statement
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आज्ञाय: having understood/knowing
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here), Non-finite

• सर्व: all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• आभरण: ornaments
• Type: Noun
• Root: आभरण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• भूषिता: adorned
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूष्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• देवी: the queen/lady
• देवी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• विलग्न: clinging/attached
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विलग्न
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• मध्ये: in the middle/waist-region
• मध्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• इव: as if/like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• बिभ्रती: bearing/carrying
• Type: Verb
• Root: भृ
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• रूपम्: form/beauty
• रूपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• उत्तमम्: excellent/supreme
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Kauśalyā
• Kaikeyī
• Mantharā
• the (unnamed) husband/king
• rājābhiṣeka (coronation)
• ornaments (ābharaṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage highlights how envy and competitive comparison can be weaponized through persuasive speech, leading to ethically fraught political action. It implicitly warns that outward sweetness and ornamented charm may conceal calculated intent, and that dharma in royal succession is vulnerable to manipulation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mantharā provokes Kaikeyī by praising Kauśalyā’s fortune—her son’s impending coronation—while belittling Kaikeyī’s prospects by denying her son’s claim. Stirred by this, Kaikeyī adorns herself, composes an alluring demeanor, and goes privately to her husband to influence him with affectionate speech.