Valmiki Ramayana 2.18.25: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 18, Shloka 25

अष्टादशः सर्गः · Kaikeyī Discloses the Boons: Exile to Daṇḍaka and Bharata’s Consecration

Devanagari script

यदि तद्वक्ष्यते राजा शुभं वा यदि वाऽशुभम् ।

करिष्यसि ततस्सर्वमाख्यास्यामि पुनस्त्वहम् ॥२५॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.18.25

Transliteration

yadi tad vakṣyate rājā śubhaṃ vā yadi vāśubham |

kariṣyasi tatas sarvam ākhyāsyāmi punas tv aham ||25||

Translation

രാജാവ് ശുഭമോ അശുഭമോ എന്ത് കല്പിച്ചാലും നീ അതെല്ലാം നിർവഹിക്കും എങ്കിൽ, പിന്നെ ഞാൻ വീണ്ടും നിന്നോട് എല്ലാം വിശദമായി പറയും.

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Word by Word

• yadi: if
• yadi: Vākya-sambandha (वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Conditional particle (शर्त-निपात)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, neuter, accusative singular

• vakṣyate: will say
• vakṣyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Future (लृट्), 3rd person singular, ātmanepada

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, nominative singular

• śubham: auspicious (thing)
• śubham: Karma (कर्म) (content of speech)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, accusative singular

• vā: or
• vā: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्प)

• yadi: if
• yadi: Vākya-sambandha (वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Conditional particle

• vā: or
• vā: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle

• aśubham: inauspicious (thing)
• aśubham: Karma (कर्म) (content of speech)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, accusative singular

• kariṣyasi: you will do / fulfill
• kariṣyasi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Future (लृट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष) singular, parasmaipada

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb ‘then/thereafter’

• sarvam: everything
• sarvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, accusative singular

• ākhyāsyāmi: I shall tell
• ākhyāsyāmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + khyā (धातु)
• Form: Future (लृट्), 1st person singular, parasmaipada

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/विरोधसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, nominative singular

Context

If you fulfil whatever the king says, pleasant or unpleasant, I shall relate to you everything.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Rāma
• Daśaratha (king)

FAQs

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

Dharma is framed as unconditional compliance with the king’s word; however, the verse also raises ethical tension about informed consent—Kaikeyī withholds full disclosure until compliance is promised.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī conditions her full explanation on Rāma’s prior commitment to carry out whatever Daśaratha says.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s obedience and integrity are being tested—whether he will commit to duty before knowing its cost.