Shloka 2.11.22

कैकेयीवरप्रार्थना — Kaikeyi Demands the Two Boons

Devanagari script

वाङ्मात्रेण तदा राजा कैकेय्या स्ववशे कृतः।प्रचस्कन्द विनाशाय पाशं मृग इवात्मनः।।।।

Transliteration

vāṅmātreṇa tadā rājā kaikeyyā svavaśe kṛtaḥ | pracaskanda vināśāya pāśaṃ mṛga ivātmanaḥ ||

Translation

Then the king, brought under Kaikeyī’s sway by mere words, rushed toward his own ruin—like a deer leaping into a snare.

Context

The king now came under the control of Kaikeyi by his own words like a deer that jumps into the trap for its own destruction.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī

FAQs

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

The verse warns that unexamined surrender to persuasive speech and emotional compulsion can lead to adharma-like outcomes; discernment is necessary to uphold dharma.

What is the narrative situation?

The narration comments on Daśaratha’s psychological capture by Kaikeyī’s words, foreshadowing disastrous consequences.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The absence of steadiness and discernment is highlighted; the ideal royal virtue implied is self-mastery (indriya-nigraha) in the face of pressure.