Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 78, Shloka 9

अष्टसप्ततितमः सर्गः — Śatrughna’s Fury and Bharata’s Restraint

Mantharā Episode

Devanagari script

यस्याः कृते वने रामो न्यस्तदेहश्च वः पिता।सेयं पापा नृशंसा च तस्याः कुरु यथामति।।।।

Transliteration

yasyāḥ kṛte vane rāmo nyastadehaś ca vaḥ pitā |

seyaṃ pāpā nṛśaṃsā ca tasyāḥ kuru yathāmati ||

Translation

「彼女のせいでラーマは森におり、あなたの父上は御身を捨てられました。これがあの罪深く残酷な女です。あなたが適切だと思うように処断してください。」

Word by Word

• यस्याः: of whom/whose
• यस्याः: सम्बन्ध (Genitival relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (Feminine, Genitive, Singular)

• कृते: for the sake (of)
• कृते: हेतु (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: हेतौ सप्तमी/निमित्ते (kṛte used as postposition-like indeclinable: 'for the sake of')

• वने: in the forest
• वने: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (Neuter, Locative, Singular)

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: कर्ता (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• न्यस्तदेहः: one who has laid down his body (died)
• न्यस्तदेहः: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + अस् (धातु) + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular); समास: न्यस्तः देहः यस्य सः (बहुव्रीहि)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• वः: your
• वः: सम्बन्ध (Genitival relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, बहुवचन (Genitive, Plural)

• पिता: father
• पिता: कर्ता (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• सा: she
• सा: कर्ता (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• इयम्: this (woman)
• इयम्: अपादान-निर्देश/सम्बोधन (Deictic apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• पापा: sinful
• पापा: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• नृशंसा: cruel
• नृशंसा: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नृशंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तस्याः: to her
• तस्याः: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/चतुर्थी, एकवचन; अत्र चतुर्थी-अर्थे (Dative sense: 'to her')

• कुरु: do
• कुरु: क्रिया (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (2nd person singular, Imperative)

• यथामति: as you think/as you please
• यथामति: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + मति (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययभाव)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास: यथा मति (according to (your) mind); अव्यय (adverb)

Context

Here is that sinful, cruel woman on whose account Rama is in the forest and your father has forsaken his body. Do with her as it pleases you.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Daśaratha (your father)
• Mantharā
• Forest (vana)
• Śatrughna

FAQs

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

It raises the dharmic tension between righteous justice and uncontrolled vengeance: wrongs are acknowledged, but dharma ultimately requires measured response under authority, not rage.

What is the narrative situation?

The guards present Mantharā to Śatrughna and accuse her of causing Rāma’s exile and Daśaratha’s death, urging Śatrughna to decide her fate.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Responsibility in judgment: Śatrughna is positioned as one who must choose restraint and lawful action over impulsive punishment.