Valmiki Ramayana 2.9.9: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 9, Shloka 9

मन्थराप्रेरणा · वरद्वय-स्मरणं च

Manthara’s Provocation and the Recalling of Two Boons

Spoken by Kaikeyi to MantharaSetting: अयोध्या (अन्तःपुर)

Devanagari script

कथय त्वं ममोपायं केनोपायेन मन्थरे ।

भरतः प्राप्नुयाद्राज्यं न तु रामः कथञ्चन ॥९॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.9.9

Transliteration

kathaya tvaṃ mamopāyaṃ kenopāyena manthare |

bharataḥ prāpnuyādrājyaṃ na tu rāmaḥ kathañcana ||9||

Translation

मंथरा, मुझे बताओ कोई तरीका। कैसे भरत को राज्य मिले और राम को बिल्कुल न मिले? कोई भी तरीका चाहिए।

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• कथय: tell
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया; command)

• त्वम्: you
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• मम: my
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, एकवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• उपायम्: means/plan
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म; object of ‘कथय’)

• केन: by what
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन; प्रश्न (by what)
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• उपायेन: means
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• मन्थरे: O Manthara
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्थरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)

• भरतः: Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• प्राप्नुयात्: should obtain
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• राज्यम्: kingdom
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध
• Role: Pratiṣedha-nipāta (प्रतिषेध-निपात)

• तु: but
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोधार्थक निपात (but/as for)
• Role: Sambandha-nipāta (सम्बन्ध-निपात)

• रामः: Rama
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता; in contrasted clause)

• कथञ्चन: at all
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथञ्चन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, ‘at all/in any way’
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)

Sandhi Notes

• ममोपायम् = मम + उपायम्
• केनोपायेन = केन + उपायेन
• प्राप्नुयाद्राज्यम् = प्राप्नुयात् + राज्यम्

Context

O Manthara, tell me the means by which Bharata and not Rama will secure the kingdom in any circumstances.

The teaching

Duties in tension

• मातृस्नेह बनाम न्याय/धर्म (योग्य उत्तराधिकारी)
• राजकुल-हित बनाम स्वार्थ/पुत्र-राज्यलालसा

Ethical theme

अधर्म-राजनीति / उत्तराधिकार-अन्याय

For your practice

इच्छा-शुद्धि: साध्य को धर्मसम्मत रखे बिना साधना/नीति भी पतनकारी।

Mood and themes

Rasa

Raudra (fury), with Bhayanaka (fear)

Mood

दुराशय, आदेशात्मक, विघातक

Themes

• Rajneeti
• Ambition
• Family Conflict
• Succession

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Manthara
• Bharata
• Rama

FAQs

What is the context of Kaikeyi's request to Manthara in this verse?

Kaikeyi, having been successfully instigated by her maid Manthara regarding the alleged dangers of Rama's coronation, now asks Manthara for a specific political strategy to ensure her own son, Bharata, receives the throne instead.

How does this verse relate to the concept of Dharma?

This verse represents a deviation from Kuladharma (family duty) and Rajadharma (royal duty) driven by attachment (moha). Kaikeyi seeks to manipulate the succession, ignoring the primogeniture right of Rama and the King's will, setting the stage for the conflict between personal desire and righteous conduct.