Valmiki Ramayana 2.9.21: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 9, Shloka 21

मन्थराप्रेरणा—वरद्वय-स्मरणं च

Manthara’s Provocation and the Recalling of Two Boons

Devanagari script

चतुर्दश हि वर्षाणि रामे प्रव्राजिते वनम्।प्रजाभावगतस्नेहस्स्थिरः पुत्रो भविष्यति।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.9.21

Transliteration

caturdaśa hi varṣāṇi rāme pravrājite vanam |

prajābhāvagata-snehaḥ sthiraḥ putro bhaviṣyati ||

Translation

Pues si Rāma es desterrado al bosque por catorce años, tu hijo quedará firmemente establecido, habiendo ganado el afecto y la lealtad del pueblo.

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Word by Word

• चतुर्दश: fourteen
• चतुर्दश: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्दश (प्रातिपदिक; संख्या)
• Form: संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective); नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया/प्रथमा बहुवचनस्य विशेषणम् (qualifies varṣāṇi)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha-nipāta (सम्बन्ध-निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधान/हेतु-भाव (indeed/for)

• वर्षाणि: years
• वर्षाणि: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन (Nominative plural)

• रामे: when/with Rama (being)
• रामे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (Locative singular)

• प्रव्राजिते: (when) banished/exiled
• प्रव्राजिते: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण; locative absolute)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√व्रज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसके सप्तमी एकवचन (agreeing with rāme; locative absolute)

• वनम्: to the forest
• वनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• प्रजा: people/subjects
• प्रजा: Samāsa-aṅga (समास-अङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (as first member in compound)

• भाव: state/being
• भाव: Samāsa-aṅga (समास-अङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (as compound member)

• गत: gone/entered
• गत: Samāsa-aṅga (समास-अङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle, क्त) used adjectivally; compound member

• स्नेहः: affection
• स्नेहः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; समासः: प्रजा-भाव-गत-स्नेहः (तत्पुरुष; ‘affection that has gone to/entered the state of the people’)

• स्थिरः: firm/steady
• स्थिरः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies putraḥ)

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• भविष्यति: will become
• भविष्यति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Context

Ask your husband for those two boons namely consecration of Bharata and banishment of Rama for fourteen years.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• forest (vana)
• fourteen years

FAQs

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

It shows an unethical calculus of legitimacy: dharma-based rule is not gained by removing a righteous rival, but by merit, service, and fairness to subjects.

What is the narrative situation?

Mantharā argues that prolonged exile will shift public affection toward Bharata, stabilizing his claim.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Indirectly, it points to the virtue of earning public trust through conduct—though here it is framed cynically as a political outcome.