Valmiki Ramayana 2.7.29 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 7, Shloka 29

मन्थराप्रवेशः

Manthara Observes Ayodhya and Incites Kaikeyi

Devanagari script

पापेनानृतसान्त्वेन बाले नित्यसुखोचिते।रामं स्थापयता राज्ये सानुबन्धा हता ह्यसि।।।।

Transliteration

pāpenānṛtasāntvena bāle nityasukhocite | rāmaṃ sthāpayatā rājye sānubandhā hatā hy asi ||

Translation

常に安楽に慣れた幼子よ――あの罪深き者の偽りの慰めによって、彼が国にラーマを据えるとき、汝はまことに滅びたのだ。汝と、汝に連なる者すべて（汝の子をも含めて）。

Word by Word

• पापेन: by the wicked one
• पापेन: कर्ता/करण (Agent/Instrument per context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (usage), तृतीया (Instr/करण) एकवचन; ‘by the sinful one/through sin’ (context: by that wicked person)

• अनृत: false
• अनृत: विशेषण-उपपद (Qualifier within compound/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद; ‘false/untrue’

• सान्त्वेन: with deceitful soothing words
• सान्त्वेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सान्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instr) एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: अनृतं सान्त्वं = deceitful appeasement

• बाले: O girl/child
• बाले: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचन

• नित्य: always
• नित्य: विशेषण-उपपद (Qualifier within compound/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद; ‘always’

• सुख: comfort
• सुख: सम्बन्ध (Relation within compound/समाससम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, समासपूर्वपद; ‘comfort/pleasure’

• उचिते: accustomed to constant comfort
• उचिते: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उचित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘accustomed/fit’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: नित्यसुखे उचिते = accustomed to constant comfort

• रामम्: Rama
• रामम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc/कर्म) एकवचन

• स्थापयता: by (him) installing
• स्थापयता: कर्ता (Agent/कर्तृ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + णिच् + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instr/कर्तृ) एकवचन; ‘by (him) who is installing’

• राज्ये: in the kingdom
• राज्ये: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Loc/अधिकरण) एकवचन

• सानुबन्धा: along with (your) dependents
• सानुबन्धा: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘त्वम्’ implied)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + अनुबन्ध (प्रातिपदिक; उपपद-समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः: सह अनुबन्धेन = along with consequences/retinue (context: along with your son/associates)

• हता: ruined
• हता: विधेय (Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘ruined/slain’

• हि: surely
• हि: निपात (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (indeed/surely)

• असि: you are
• असि: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Context

O senseless lady, you are always accustomed to comfort. With deceitful words of appeasement that vicious one (King Dasaratha) is going to install Rama in the kingdom. You along with your son have been surely ruined.

Characters & Entities

• Mantharā
• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha
• Rāma
• Bharata

FAQs

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

It condemns anṛta (untruth) used as consolation; dharma requires satya in counsel and restraint from manipulative speech that harms family harmony.

What is the narrative situation?

Mantharā culminates her argument by asserting that Kaikeyī and Bharata’s future is destroyed if Rāma is installed as heir-apparent.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-control and clarity are implicitly needed; the verse shows how comfort and insecurity can be exploited to derail right judgment.