Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 8, Shloka 13

मन्थराकैकेयीसंवादः — Mantharā’s Counsel to Kaikeyī

Ayodhyā’s Succession Alarm

Devanagari script

तां दृष्ट्वा परमप्रीतां ब्रुवन्तीं मन्थरां ततः।रामस्यैव गुणान्देवी कैकेयी प्रशशंस ह।।2.8.13।।

Transliteration

tāṃ dṛṣṭvā paramaprītāṃ bruvantīṃ mantharāṃ tataḥ | rāmasyaiva guṇān devī kaikeyī praśaśaṃsa ha || 2.8.13 ||

Translation

Melihat Mantharā begitu bersukacita dan berkata demikian, Dewi Kaikeyī pun memuji semata-mata kebajikan Rama.

Word by Word

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having seen’

• परमप्रीताम्: very pleased
• परमप्रीताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम + प्रीता (कृदन्त; √प्री)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (परमा प्रीता) ‘extremely pleased’

• ब्रुवन्तीम्: speaking
• ब्रुवन्तीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रुवत् (कृदन्त; √ब्रू धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ) ‘speaking’

• मन्थराम्: Manthara
• मन्थराम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्थरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/क्रम-अव्यय (adverb)

• रामस्य: of Rama
• रामस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (restrictive particle)

• गुणान्: virtues
• गुणान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• देवी: the queen
• देवी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृ

• कैकेयी: Kaikeyi
• कैकेयी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैकेयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृ

• प्रशशंस: praised
• प्रशशंस: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√शंस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ह: indeed (narrative)
• ह: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: स्मरण/वृत्तान्तसूचक-अव्यय (narrative particle)

Context

Having seen that morose Manthara speaking thus, Kaikeyi commended the virtues of Rama.

Characters & Entities

• Manthara
• Kaikeyi
• Rama

FAQs

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

Even amid provocation, truth about virtue can be acknowledged—Kaikeyi initially recognizes Rama’s righteousness, aligning with dharma in speech.

What is the narrative situation?

Mantharā begins her agitation, but Kaikeyi’s immediate response is to affirm Rama’s good qualities rather than accept suspicion.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Recognition of merit (guṇa-jñatā)—the ability to honor virtue in another.