Valmiki Ramayana 2.11.21 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 11, Shloka 21

कैकेयीवरप्रार्थना

Kaikeyi Demands the Two Boons

Devanagari script

तत् प्रतिश्रुत्य धर्मेण न चेद्दास्यसि मे वरम्।अद्यैव हि प्रहास्यामि जीवितं त्वद्विमानिता।।।।

Transliteration

tat pratiśrutya dharmeṇa na ced dāsyasi me varam | adyaiva hi prahāsyāmi jīvitaṃ tvad-vimānitā ||

Translation

Engkau telah berjanji menurut dharma; jika engkau tidak mengurniakan kepadaku anugerah itu, maka pada hari ini juga—dihina olehmu—aku akan meninggalkan nyawaku.

Word by Word

• तत्: that (promise)
• तत्: Karma (कर्म/Object; of pratiśrutya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रतिश्रुत्य: having promised
• प्रतिश्रुत्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-√श्रु (धातु) + ल्यप्
• Form: ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकाल

• धर्मेण: rightfully, by dharma
• धर्मेण: Karana (करण/Means or manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रकार/हेतु (by right/according to dharma)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Condition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cet (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्त (conditional particle: if)

• दास्यसि: you will give
• दास्यसि: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वरम्: boon
• वरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अद्य: today, now
• अद्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (today/now)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेतौ/निश्चये (indeed/for)

• प्रहास्यामि: I will abandon/give up
• प्रहास्यामि: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√हा (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• जीवितम्: life
• जीवितम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्वत्: by you / from you
• त्वत्: Hetu (हेतु/Cause; agent of humiliation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• विमानिता: insulted, dishonored
• विमानिता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; qualifying)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-√मान् (धातु) + क्त
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृ-विशेषण (speaker)

Context

The boons you have vowed to give shall rightfully be given to me. If not, disgraced by you I shall give up my life right away.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha
• boon
• dharma

FAQs

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

A vow made under dharma is presented as binding; the verse dramatizes how satya can be tested under emotional pressure, raising questions about dharma versus manipulation.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī escalates her demand by threatening suicide if Daśaratha refuses to grant the promised boon.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Daśaratha’s commitment to truth is the targeted virtue; Kaikeyī uses the moral weight of his promise to compel compliance.