Shloka 11

कैकेयीवरप्रार्थना

Kaikeyi Demands the Two Boons

Devanagari script

सा तदर्थमना देवी तमभिप्रायमागतम्।निर्माध्यस्थ्याच्च हर्षाच्च बभाषे दुर्वचं वचः।।।।

Transliteration

sā tadarthamanā devī tam abhiprāyam āgatam | nirmādhyasthyāc ca harṣāc ca babhāṣe durvacaṃ vacaḥ || 2.11.11 ||

Translation

സ്വകാര്യ ലക്ഷ്യത്തിൽ മനസ്സ് പതിഞ്ഞിരുന്ന ആ ദേവിയായ രാജ്ഞി, മധ്യമാർഗം കാണാതെ ആനന്ദത്തോടെ, പറയാൻ കഠിനമായ ദുർവചനങ്ങൾ ഉച്ചരിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• सा: she
• सा: कर्ता
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), एकवचन; demonstrative ‘she’

• तदर्थमना: intent on that aim
• तदर्थमना: कर्ता-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद्-अर्थ-मनस् (प्रातिपदिक; तद् + अर्थ + मनस्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तस्य अर्थः यस्य मनः) ‘having mind set on that purpose’

• देवी: the queen
• देवी: कर्ता (समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; apposition to सा

• तम्: that
• तम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म), एकवचन; refers to अभिप्रायम्

• अभिप्रायम्: intention
• अभिप्रायम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिप्राय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object (what she spoke/held)

• आगतम्: that had arisen/come
• आगतम्: कर्म-विशेषण
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+√गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; agrees with अभिप्रायम् ‘come/arrived’

• निर्माध्यस्थ्यात्: from partiality / lack of neutrality
• निर्माध्यस्थ्यात्: हेतु (पञ्चमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्माध्यस्थ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5/हेतु/अपादान), एकवचन; ablative ‘from/owing to lack of neutrality’ (cause)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• हर्षात्: from joy
• हर्षात्: हेतु
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5/हेतु), एकवचन; ablative of cause ‘from joy’

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• बभाषे: spoke
• बभाषे: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भाष् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; perfect 3rd sg ‘she spoke’

• दुर्वचम्: harsh/unutterable
• दुर्वचम्: कर्म-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्-वच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (दुष्टं वचः) ‘hard to utter/harsh’; qualifies वचः

• वचः: words
• वचः: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object of बभाषे

Context

Bent upon her interests, the queen cheered and expressed in unutterable words her premeditated wish which had no alternative.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī

FAQs

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

It highlights how self-interested intention can drive speech beyond dharmic restraint; dharma asks for measured, fair, and compassionate expression.

What is the narrative situation?

The narration describes Kaikeyī’s internal resolve just before she states her demand to Daśaratha.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse implicitly points to the virtue of impartiality and moderation by showing Kaikeyī acting without a ‘middle course’.