Shloka 13

कैकेयीवरप्रार्थना

Kaikeyi Demands the Two Boons

Devanagari script

यथा क्रमे शपसि वरं मम ददासि च।तच्छृण्वन्तु त्रयस्त्रिंशद्देवास्साग्निपुरोगमाः।।।।

Transliteration

yathā krameṇa śapasi varaṃ mama dadāsi ca | tac chṛṇvantu trayastriṃśad-devāḥ sāgni-purogamāḥ || 2.11.13 ||

Translation

നീ ക്രമക്രമമായി സത്യം ചൊല്ലി എനിക്ക് വരം നല്കുന്നുവല്ലോ; അഗ്നിയെ അഗ്രസ്ഥാനത്ത് വച്ചിരിക്കുന്ന ത്രയസ്ത്രിംശ ദേവന്മാർ സാക്ഷിയായി ഇതു കേൾക്കട്ടെ.

Word by Word

• यथा: as
• यथा: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction/adverb) ‘as/just as’

• क्रमेण: in order
• क्रमेण: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचन-आकारेण क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial instrumental) ‘in order/successively’

• शपसि: you swear
• शपसि: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; present 2nd sg ‘you swear’

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म), एकवचन; object of ददासि

• मम: to me
• मम: सम्प्रदान-सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी-प्रयोग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन; genitive ‘to me/of me’ (recipient sense)

• ददासि: you give
• ददासि: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; present 2nd sg ‘you give’

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

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object of शृण्वन्तु ‘that’

• शृण्वन्तु: let (them) hear
• शृण्वन्तु: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; imperative 3rd pl ‘let them hear’

• त्रयस्त्रिंशत्: thirty-three
• त्रयस्त्रिंशत्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रयस्-त्रिंशत् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, अव्ययवत्/अव्ययप्राय; here used as numeral qualifier of देवाः ‘thirty-three’

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: कर्ता
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), बहुवचन; subject of शृण्वन्तु

• साग्निपुरोगमाः: with Agni in front
• साग्निपुरोगमाः: कर्ता-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-अग्नि-पुरोगम (प्रातिपदिक; सह + अग्नि + पुरोगम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः ‘having Agni in the forefront’; qualifies देवाः

Context

You are repeatedly swearing to grant me boons. Let the thirtythree crore gods headed by the fire-god, listen.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha
• Agni

FAQs

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

Satya is treated as publicly accountable; invoking divine witnesses frames a promise as morally and cosmically binding.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī formalizes Daśaratha’s pledge by summoning the gods as witnesses before stating what she wants.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Accountability to one’s word—especially for a king—since vows are not merely private but upheld before higher principles.