Valmiki Ramayana 2.35.1-4: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 35, Shlokas 1-4
सुमन्त्रस्य कैकेयी-निन्दा
Sumantra’s Reproof of Kaikeyi in the Royal Assembly
ततो निर्धूय सहसा शिरो निश्श्वस्य चासकृत् ।
पाणौ पाणिं विनिष्पिष्य दन्तान् कटकटाप्य च ॥१॥
लोचने कोपसंरक्ते वर्णं पूर्वोचितं जहत् ।
कोपाभिभूतस्सहसा सन्तापमशुभं गतः ॥२॥
मनः समीक्षमाणश्च सूतो दशरथस्य सः ।
कम्पयन्निव कैकेय्या हृदयं वाक्छरैश्शितैः ॥३॥
वाक्यवज्रैरनुपमैर्निर्भिन्दन्निव चाशुभैः ।
कैकेय्या स्सर्वमर्माणि सुमन्त्रः प्रत्यभाषत ॥४॥
tato nirdhūya sahasā śiro niḥśvasya cāsakṛt |
pāṇau pāṇiṃ viniṣpiṣya dantān kaṭakaṭāpya ca ||1||
locane kopa-saṃrakte varṇaṃ pūrvocitaṃ jahat |
kopābhibhūtaḥ sahasā santāpam aśubhaṃ gataḥ ||2||
manaḥ samīkṣamāṇaś ca sūto daśarathasya saḥ |
kampayann iva kaikeyyā hṛdayaṃ vāk-śaraiḥ śitaiḥ ||3||
vākya-vajrair anupamair nirbhindann iva cāśubhaiḥ |
kaikeyyāḥ sarva-marmāṇi sumantraḥ pratyabhāṣata ||4||
അപ്പോൾ സുമന്ത്രൻ പെട്ടെന്ന് തല കുലുക്കി, പലവട്ടം ദീർഘനിശ്വാസം വിട്ടു; കൈയിൽ കൈ അമർത്തി, പല്ലുകൾ കടകടപ്പിച്ചു. കോപത്തിൽ കണ്ണുകൾ ചുവന്നു; ക്രോധാവേശത്തിൽ പതിവ് മുഖവർണ്ണം വിട്ട് അശുഭമായ ദുഃഖസന്താപത്തിലേക്ക് വീണു. ദശരഥന്റെ മനസ്സിലെ ഭാവം ഗ്രഹിച്ച്, കൈകേയിയുടെ ഹൃദയം കുലുക്കുന്നതുപോലെ വാക്കുകളുടെ മൂർച്ചയുള്ള അമ്പുകളാൽ—അനുപമമായ വാക്യവജ്രങ്ങൾപോലെ, അശുഭവും പ്രചണ്ഡവുമായ—അവളുടെ എല്ലാ മർമ്മസ്ഥാനങ്ങളെയും ഭേദിക്കുന്നതുപോലെ സുമന്ത്രൻ മറുപടി പറഞ്ഞു.
Overcome with anger, charioteer Sumantra started shaking his head and sighing off and on, crushing his palms and grinding his teeth. His eyes turned red due to anger. Overcome with a sudden, ominous grief, the complexion of his face turned red. Sumantra understood the mind of Dasaratha. With sharp arrows of words as if piercing the heart of Kaikeyi, he denounced her in exceptionally harsh words which, like thunderbolt, cut her to the quick:
FAQs
When dharma is endangered, a loyal servant may speak forcefully to restrain adharma—yet the purpose remains protection of the king, the heir, and the realm.
Sumantra, seeing Dasaratha’s suffering and Kaikeyi’s hardness, becomes enraged and prepares to denounce her with piercing words.
Sumantra’s loyalty and moral courage: he risks offending the queen to defend righteousness and the king’s welfare.
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