Valmiki Ramayana 2.8.37: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 8, Shloka 37

मन्थराकैकेयीसंवादः · Mantharā’s Counsel to Kaikeyī

Ayodhyā’s Succession Alarm

Devanagari script

दर्पान्निराकृता पूर्वं त्वया सौभाग्यवत्तया ।

राममाता सपत्नी ते कथं वैरं न शातयेत् ॥३७॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.8.37

Transliteration

darpān nirākṛtā pūrvaṃ tvayā saubhāgyavattayā |

rāmamātā sapatnī te kathaṃ vairaṃ na śātayet ||37||

Translation

മുമ്പ്, ഭാഗ്യവതിയെന്ന അഭിമാനത്തിൽ നീ രാമന്റെ മാതാവായ നിന്റെ സഹപത്നിയെ അവഗണിച്ചു; ആ വൈരം അവൾ എങ്ങനെ തീർക്കാതിരിക്കും?

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Word by Word

• darpāt: from pride
• darpāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: darpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ (out of pride)

• nirākṛtā: rejected/slighted
• nirākṛtā: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-ā-kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; agrees with rāmamātā

• pūrvam: formerly
• pūrvam: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrvam (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karaṇa/Kartṛ (करण/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन

• saubhāgyavattayā: due to (your) good fortune
• saubhāgyavattayā: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saubhāgyavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; भाववाचक-तद्धित (abstract in -tā) ‘by (your) fortunate state’

• rāmamātā: Rama’s mother
• rāmamātā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक) + mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (रामस्य माता); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• sapatnī: co-wife
• sapatnī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sapatnī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; apposition to rāmamātā

• te: your
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• katham: how
• katham: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक अव्यय

• vairam: enmity/grudge
• vairam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation)

• śātayet: would destroy/retaliate
• śātayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śāt (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘to destroy/retaliate’

Context

Being fortunate (being the favourite wife of your husband) you slighted your co-wifeearlier with pride. How will she, Rama's mother (Kausalya) remain without retaliating?

Characters & Entities

• Mantharā
• Kaikeyī
• Kausalyā (as Rāma’s mother)
• Rāma

FAQs

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

It underscores karmic/social consequence: pride and humiliation within relationships breed resentment. Dharma recommends humility and reconciliation rather than perpetuating cycles of retaliation.

What is the narrative situation?

Mantharā reminds Kaikeyī of past slights against Kausalyā to suggest that Kausalyā (through Rāma) will retaliate if Rāma gains power.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implied virtue is humility (amānitva) and restraint; the verse highlights how arrogance destabilizes household harmony.