Valmiki Ramayana 2.8.20 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 8, Shloka 20

मन्थराकैकेयीसंवादः — Mantharā’s Counsel to Kaikeyī

Ayodhyā’s Succession Alarm

Devanagari script

कैकेयीवचनं श्रुत्वा मन्थरा भृशदुःखिता।दीर्घमुष्णं च विनिश्वस्य कैकेयीमिदमब्रवीत्।।2.8.20।।

Transliteration

kaikeyī-vacanaṃ śrutvā mantharā bhṛśa-duḥkhitā | dīrgham uṣṇaṃ ca viniśvasya kaikeyīm idam abravīt || 2.8.20 ||

Translation

കൈകേയിയുടെ വാക്കുകൾ കേട്ട മന്തര അത്യന്തം ദുഃഖിതയായി; ദീർഘമായി ചൂടുള്ള നിശ്വാസങ്ങൾ വിട്ടുകൊണ്ട്, അവൾ കൈകേയിയോട് ഇങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

• कैकेयी-वचनम्: Kaikeyi's words
• कैकेयी-वचनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैकेयी (प्रातिपदिक) + वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कैकेय्याः वचनम्)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having heard)

• मन्थरा: Manthara
• मन्थरा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्थरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भृश-दुःखिता: very sorrowful
• भृश-दुःखिता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भृश (अव्यय) + दुःखित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (भृशं दुःखिता)

• दीर्घम्: long/deeply
• दीर्घम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन-आकारः; अव्ययीभावेन प्रयोगः (adverbial: for long/deeply)

• उष्णम्: hotly
• उष्णम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन-आकारः; उष्णं (hotly, with heat)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विनिश्वस्य: having sighed/heaved
• विनिश्वस्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-श्वस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund) उपसर्गः वि+नि; अर्थः—दीर्घं श्वसित्वा (having heaved/sighed)

• कैकेयीम्: to/at Kaikeyi
• कैकेयीम्: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैकेयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे कर्मवत् (addressed as object of speech)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Context

Having heard Kaikeyi's words Manthara was extremely unhappy. Heaving deep, hot sighs she said to Kaikeyi.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Mantharā

FAQs

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

Dharma is implicit: the verse shows how inner agitation can precede harmful speech; ethical restraint begins with mastery over one’s emotional impulses.

What is the narrative situation?

This is a narrative bridge: Mantharā reacts strongly to Kaikeyī’s reassurance and prepares to respond with a persuasive counter-argument.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

None is celebrated; rather, Mantharā’s intense agitation foreshadows counsel driven by grievance and fear.