Valmiki Ramayana 2.9.58: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 9, Shloka 58

मन्थराप्रेरणा · वरद्वय-स्मरणं च

Manthara’s Provocation and the Recalling of Two Boons

Spoken by Kaikeyi to MantharaSetting: Ayodhyā (queen’s apartments/inner palace)Places named: forest (vana)Impending exile of Rāma to forest (proposed)

Devanagari script

इह वा मां मृतां कुब्जे नृपायावेदयिष्यसि ।

वनं तु राघवे प्राप्ते भरतः प्राप्स्यति क्षितिम् ॥५८॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.9.58

Transliteration

iha vā māṃ mṛtāṃ kubje nṛpāyāvedayiṣyasi |

vanaṃ tu rāghave prāpte bharataḥ prāpsyati kṣitim ||58||

Translation

ഹേ കുബ്ജേ! ഞാൻ ഇവിടെ മരിച്ചുകിടക്കുകയാണെങ്കിൽ അത് രാജാവിനോട് അറിയിക്ക; അല്ലെങ്കിൽ രാഘവൻ വനത്തിലേക്കു പോയാൽ ഭരതൻ ഭൂമിയുടെ രാജ്യം പ്രാപിക്കും എന്നു പറയുക.

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Word by Word

• इह: here
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम् (स्थानवाचक-अव्ययम्) — indeclinable adverb of place
• Role: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa) — location

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम् (विकल्पार्थक-निपातः) — disjunctive particle
• Role: सम्बन्ध/निपात (particle; no kāraka)

• माम्: me
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-शब्दः; स्त्री/पुं (प्रयोगे); द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् — pronoun, accusative singular
• Role: कर्म (Karman) — object

• मृताम्: dead (as if dead)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत (√मृ धातु, क्त-प्रत्ययः; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त-विशेषणम्; स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् — past passive participle used adjectivally, feminine accusative singular (agreeing with माम्)
• Role: कर्म-विशेषण (object qualifier)

• कुब्जे: O hunchback (Kubjā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुब्जा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः; सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् — vocative singular
• Role: सम्बोधन (Address)

• नृपाय: to the king (Daśaratha)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् — dative singular
• Role: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna) — recipient

• आवेदयिष्यसि: you will inform / report
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + √विद् (विद् धातु, 10गण/चुरादि-प्रयोगः: वेदयति) / causative base √विद् → वेदय; भविष्यत्
• Form: आ-उपसर्गपूर्वकः; लृट्-लकारः (भविष्यत्कालः), मध्यम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम् — future, 2nd person singular, active
• Role: क्रिया (action)

• वनम्: to the forest / the forest
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् — accusative singular
• Role: कर्म (Karman) — object (goal as object with गतिअर्थ)

• तु: but / indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम् (विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपातः) — particle meaning 'but/indeed'
• Role: सम्बन्ध/निपात (particle; no kāraka)

• राघवे: when/with Rāghava (Rāma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् — locative singular
• Role: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa) — locus/condition ('when/while Rāghava...')

• प्राप्ते: having gone / having reached
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राप्त (प्र + √आप् धातु, क्त-प्रत्ययः; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्तम्; पुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् — locative absolute/locative participle agreeing with राघवे
• Role: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa) — temporal condition (locative absolute sense)

• भरतः: Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् — nominative singular
• Role: कर्ता (Kartā) — subject/agent

• प्राप्स्यति: will obtain / will secure
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √आप् (धातु) → प्राप्नोति; लृट्
• Form: प्र-उपसर्गपूर्वकः; लृट्-लकारः (भविष्यत्कालः), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम् — future, 3rd person singular, active
• Role: क्रिया (action)

• क्षितिम्: the earth / kingdom
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् — accusative singular
• Role: कर्म (Karman) — object

Sandhi Notes

• Sandhi resolved: मां मृताम् (māṃ mṛtām)
• नृपायावेदयिष्यसि = नृपाय + आवेदयिष्यसि
• राघवे प्राप्ते (rāghave prāpte) kept as locative + locative participle (locative-absolute sense)

Context

O hunchback, tell the king, either Bharata shall secure the kingdom on Rama's departure to the forest or else I will die here.

The teaching

Ends sought through fear and blackmail corrode both household and kingdom; dharma cannot be secured by adharma.

Duties in tension

• Spousal duty and loyalty vs coercive self-harm threat
• Rājadharma of rightful succession vs partisan enthronement
• Maternal affection vs justice toward the elder prince

Ethical theme

Rājadharma / nīti-śāstra (negative exemplar)

How it resolves

Escalation via coercion (adharmic leverage)

For your practice

Practice ahiṃsā in speech: threats and emotional blackmail are subtle violence; cultivate truthful, non-coercive communication.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Bhayanaka (fear), with Raudra (fury)

Mood

Threatening, coercive, high-stakes

Themes

• Ethics
• Adharma (coercion)
• Court politics
• Dharma under threat
• Satya (truth distorted)

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Mantharā (Kubjā)
• Daśaratha (nṛpa)
• Rāghava/Rāma
• Bharata
• Forest (vana)

FAQs

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

It illustrates adharma through coercion: using threats of self-harm to force political outcomes violates truthful, compassionate, and righteous conduct.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī frames an ultimatum to be delivered to Daśaratha: either her death—or Rama’s exile enabling Bharata’s accession.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

No virtue is celebrated; the verse highlights obstinacy and manipulative resolve, contrasting with the Ramayana’s ideal of truthful, dharmic persuasion.