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||
मग सुमंत्राने सहसा डोके झटकले, वारंवार दीर्घ निःश्वास टाकला; एका तळहातावर दुसरा तळहात आपटून दात किटकिटले. क्रोधाने त्याचे डोळे लाल झाले; रागाने ग्रासून तो आपला नेहमीचा वर्ण हरपून अशुभ संताप-दुःखात बुडाला. दशरथाच्या मनातील भाव ओळखून त्याने कैकेयीचे हृदय जणू कंपविणारे तीक्ष्ण वाक्-बाण सोडले—अतुल्य, वज्रासारख्या, अमंगल वचनांनी तो तिच्या सर्व मर्मस्थळांना भेदत असल्याप्रमाणे प्रत्युत्तर देऊ लागला॥
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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