Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 11, Shloka 29

कैकेयीवरप्रार्थना

Kaikeyi Demands the Two Boons

Devanagari script

स राजराजः भव सत्यसङ्गरःकुलं च शीलं च हि रक्ष जन्म च।परत्रवासे हि वदन्त्यनुत्तमंतपोधनास्सत्यवचो हितं नृणाम्।।।।

Transliteration

sa rājarājaḥ bhava satyasaṅgaraḥ | kulaṁ ca śīlaṁ ca hi rakṣa janma ca | paratravāse hi vadanty anuttamaṁ | tapodhanāḥ satyavaco hitaṁ nṛṇām ||

Translation

आप राजाओं के भी राजा बनें—सत्य में अडिग रहें। अपने कुल, अपने शील और अपने उत्तम जन्म की रक्षा करें। तप ही जिनका धन है ऐसे ऋषि कहते हैं कि परलोक-कल्याण के लिए सत्यवचन से बढ़कर कुछ नहीं; वही मनुष्यों का हित करता है।

Word by Word

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (ततः = 'thereafter')

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (श्रु धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), indeclinable; prior action

• mahārājaḥ: the great king
• mahārājaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय; 'great king'); Masculine, Nominative (1), Singular

• kaikeyyāḥ: of Kaikeyi
• kaikeyyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaikeyī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6), Singular

• dāruṇam: harsh/dreadful
• dāruṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dāruṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2), Singular; agrees with vacaḥ

• vacaḥ: words/speech
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2), Singular

• cintām: anxiety/grief
• cintām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cintā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2), Singular

• abhisamāpede: attained/was seized by
• abhisamāpede: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-sam-√pad (पद् धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (लिट्/perfect), 3rd person, Singular, Ātmanepada

• muhūrtam: for a moment
• muhūrtam: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muhūrta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2), Singular; duration-accusative

• pratatāpa: was distressed/burned
• pratatāpa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√tap (तप् धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (लङ्/imperfect), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

Context

O gentle lady! my heart is sinking. Touch my heart and deliver me from distress. O Kaikeyi considering all this, tell me what you think is good.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha
• Sages (tapodhanāḥ)

FAQs

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

Satya is presented as the supreme dharmic merit: truthfulness and fidelity to vows are said to have unsurpassed value, including consequences for one’s state in the afterlife.

What is the narrative situation?

After stating her demand, Kaikeyī pressures Daśaratha by invoking the dharmic authority of sages: truth-keeping is portrayed as the king’s highest duty.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The virtue emphasized is satyasaṅgara—unyielding commitment to truth and vows—framed as the defining quality of an ideal sovereign.