Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 8, Shloka 34

मन्थराकैकेयीसंवादः — Mantharā’s Counsel to Kaikeyī

Ayodhyā’s Succession Alarm

Devanagari script

एवं ते ज्ञातिपक्षस्य श्रेयश्चैव भविष्यति।यदि चेद्भरतो धर्मात्पित्र्यं राज्यमवाप्स्यसि।।2.8.34।।

Transliteration

evaṃ te jñātipakṣasya śreyaś caiva bhaviṣyati |

yadi ced bharato dharmāt pitryaṃ rājyam avāpsyasi ||2.8.34||

Translation

かくして、そなたと一族の側にはまことの安寧が訪れよう。もしバラタがダルマにより、父祖伝来の王国を得るならば。

Word by Word

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• te: your
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive, 6th), एकवचन

• jñātipakṣasya: of (your) kinsmen’s side
• jñātipakṣasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāti (प्रातिपदिक) + pakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (ज्ञातीनां पक्षः = side/party of relatives); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• śreyaḥ: welfare
• śreyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śreyas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (and)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण (emphasis)

• bhaviṣyati: will be
• bhaviṣyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तवाचक अव्यय (conditional)

• cet: if
• cet: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cet (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त/सम्भावनासूचक निपात (if/indeed)

• bharataḥ: Bharata
• bharataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• dharmāt: by righteousness
• dharmāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ (by right/righteously)

• pitryam: paternal
• pitryam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pitrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of rājyam

• rājyam: kingdom
• rājyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• avāpsyasi: you will obtain
• avāpsyasi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-āp (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

Context

If Bharata secures the ancestral kingdom righteously, it will bring welfare to you and to your relations also.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• jñāti (kinsmen/relatives—Kaikeyī’s natal faction)

FAQs

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

It invokes dharma as the legitimizing basis of kingship (“righteously obtaining the ancestral kingdom”), while also showing how the language of dharma can be used rhetorically to justify partisan advantage.

What is the narrative situation?

Mantharā concludes her line of persuasion by promising prosperity to Kaikeyī’s kin if Bharata gains the throne ‘by dharma,’ even as her broader counsel aims to displace Rāma through coercive boons.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The virtue named is dharmic legitimacy in rule; the verse invites students to distinguish genuine dharma from politically convenient claims.