Valmiki Ramayana 2.8.38: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 8, Shloka 38
मन्थराकैकेयीसंवादः · Mantharā’s Counsel to Kaikeyī
Ayodhyā’s Succession Alarm
यदा हि रामः पृथिवीमवाप्स्यति प्रभूतरत्नाकरशैलपत्तनाम् ।
तदा गमिष्यस्यशुभं पराभवं सहैव दीना भरतेन भामिनि ॥३८॥
yadā hi rāmaḥ pṛthivīm avāpsyati prabhūtaratnākaraśailapattanām |
tadā gamiṣyasy aśubhaṃ parābhavaṃ sahaiva dīnā bharatena bhāmini ||38||
ഹേ ഭാമിനി, രത്നസമുദ്രങ്ങളും പർവതങ്ങളും നഗരങ്ങളും നിറഞ്ഞ ഈ ഭൂമിയെ രാമൻ കൈവശമാക്കുമ്പോൾ, നീയും ഭരതനോടുകൂടെ അശുഭമായ പരാജയവും ദീനതയും അപമാനവും അനുഭവിക്കും.
O lovely lady! when Rama becomes the lord of this earth with its oceans, mountains and cities, then along with Bharata you will become miserable and fall into disgrace.
FAQs
It contrasts worldly power with personal security; dharma teaches that status is unstable and should not be pursued through injustice. The verse is used to inflame anxiety rather than uphold satya.
Mantharā predicts Kaikeyī’s disgrace if Rāma becomes king, attempting to push Kaikeyī toward drastic action.
The verse indirectly foregrounds the need for truth-oriented counsel; it shows how prophecy-like rhetoric can be used to manipulate decisions.
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