Valmiki Ramayana 2.9.46: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 9, Shloka 46

मन्थराप्रेरणा · वरद्वय-स्मरणं च

Manthara’s Provocation and the Recalling of Two Boons

Spoken by Kaikeyi to MantharaSetting: अयोध्या (antaḥpura)

Devanagari script

तवेदं स्थगु यद्दीर्घं रथघोणमिवायतम् ॥४६॥

मतयः क्षत्रविद्याश्च मायाश्चात्र वसन्ति ते ।

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.9.46

Transliteration

tavedam sthagu yad dīrghaṃ rathaghoṇam ivāyatam ||46||

matayaḥ kṣatravidyāś ca māyāś cātra vasanti te |

Translation

तुम्हारा यह लंबा-कुबड़, जैसे कोई रथ का पहिया बड़ा हो, उसमें तुम्हारी सारी चालाक चीज़ें हैं। वहाँ तुम्हारी राजनीति वाली बातें हैं, और धोखा देने के तरीके भी।

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• tava: your
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)

• idam: this
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• sthagu: hump
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthagu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; colloquial/rare noun for hump
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• yat: which
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; relative pronoun referring to 'sthagu'
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• dīrgham: long
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīrgha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; qualifying 'sthagu'
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• rathaghoṇam: a chariot-hub (gudgeon/hub-part)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratha-ghoṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: ratha + ghoṇa; Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; upamāna
• Role: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• iva: like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Upamā-avyaya
• Role: Upamāna-marker (उपमान-सूचक)

• āyatam: broad/extended
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āyata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; qualifying 'sthagu'
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• matayaḥ: thoughts/intentions
• Type: Noun
• Root: mati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• kṣatravidyāḥ: kṣatriya-skills/arts of statecraft
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣatra-vidyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: kṣatra + vidyā; Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)

• māyāḥ: deceptions/arts
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)

• atra: here/in this (hump)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb of place
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)

• vasanti: reside/dwell
• Type: Verb
• Root: vas (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra, Prathama-puruṣa, Bahuvacana; parasmaipada
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• te: your/of you
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)

Sandhi Notes

• tavedaṃ = tava + idam
• yaddīrgham = yat + dīrgham
• rathaghoṇamivāyatam = rathaghoṇam + iva + āyatam
• māyāścātra = māyāḥ + ca + atra

Context

Your clever thoughts, magic powers and also the skills of kshatriyas are stored in your huge hump which is as wide as the hub of a chariot wheel.

The teaching

Duties in tension

• नीति-कौशल (strategic skill) vs. धर्म (righteous means)
• राज्य-स्थैर्य vs. षड्यन्त्र

Ethical theme

उपाय-नीति/अधर्म

Mood and themes

Rasa

Bibhatsa (disgust), with Raudra (fury)

Mood

Caustic, mocking, menacing

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Itihasa
• Ethics
• Court politics
• Manipulation
• Irony

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Mantharā
• Kaikeyī

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how adharma can be normalized through praise. Dharmic counsel should be rooted in truth and welfare, not in deceit or self-serving strategy.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī continues flattering Mantharā, attributing her ‘statecraft’ and deceptive capacity to her hump in a mocking yet approving tone.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Negative traits are spotlighted: cunning and manipulative planning, presented as ‘skill,’ contrasting with the Ramayana’s ideal of upright, truthful wisdom.