Shloka 4

कैकेयीवरप्रार्थना

Kaikeyi Demands the Two Boons

Devanagari script

तामुवाच महातेजाः कैकेयीमीषदुत्स्मितः।कामी हस्तेन संगृह्य मूर्धजेषु शुचिस्मिताम्।।।।

Transliteration

tām uvāca mahātejāḥ kaikeyīm īṣad utsmitaḥ | kāmī hastena saṅgṛhya mūrdhajeṣu śucismitām ||

Translation

മഹാതേജസ്വിയായ രാജാവ് അല്പം പുഞ്ചിരിച്ച്, കാമാവേശത്തിൽ സാവധാനം കൈകേയിയുടെ മുടി കൈകൊണ്ട് പിടിച്ചു, ശുദ്ധവും ദീപ്തവുമായ പുഞ്ചിരിയുള്ള അവളോടു സംസാരിച്ചു.

Word by Word

ताम्her

उवाचsaid

महातेजाःmighty, of great splendor

कैकेयीम्Kaikeyi

ईषत्slightly

उत्स्मितःsmiling

कामीlustful, desire-driven

हस्तेनwith (his) hand

संगृह्यhaving held/grasped

मूर्धजेषुin/on the hair (head-hairs)

शुचिस्मिताम्with a pure smile

Context

Let Bharata be princeregent without any rivals. This is my great desire. I am asking for an already granted boon. Let me see Rama's departure to the forest today itself.

Characters & Entities

Daśaratha

Kaikeyī

FAQs

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

The verse sets up a dharmic tension: personal desire and indulgent intimacy can cloud discernment, becoming the precondition for later unethical outcomes.

What is the narrative situation?

After Kaikeyī asks for a promise, the narration describes Daśaratha’s affectionate, desire-tinged response as he prepares to speak.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

No virtue is directly praised; rather, the scene highlights vulnerability—how a ruler’s self-control can be tested by attachment and pleasure.