Valmiki Ramayana 2.9.62: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 9, Shloka 62

मन्थराप्रेरणा · वरद्वय-स्मरणं च

Manthara’s Provocation and the Recalling of Two Boons

Setting: Ayodhya (Kaikeyi’s palace chambers)

Devanagari script

तथाऽतिविद्धा महिषी तु कुब्जया समाहता वागिषुभिर्मुहुर्मुहुः ।

निधायहस्तौ हृदयेऽतिविस्मिता शशंस कुब्जां कुपिता पुनः पुनः ॥६२॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.9.62

Transliteration

tathātividdhā mahiṣī tu kubjayā samāhatā vāg-iṣubhir muhur muhuḥ |

nidhāya hastau hṛdaye 'tivismitā śaśaṃsa kubjāṃ kupitā punaḥ punaḥ ||62||

Translation

Demikianlah permaisuri itu tertikam dalam—dipukul berkali-kali oleh kata-kata si bongkok yang laksana anak panah. Dengan hairan, ia meletakkan kedua tangannya di dada; lalu, dalam bara amarah, ia memuji si bongkok itu berulang-ulang.

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Word by Word

• tathā: thus, in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)
• Role: Prakaraṇa/Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)

• atividdhā: deeply pierced/struck
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ati-√vidh (धातु) + kta (क्त) -> atividdha (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies mahiṣī
• Role: Karta (कर्ता) (as qualifier of subject)

• mahiṣī: queen
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahiṣī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• tu: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), adversative/emphatic
• Role: Discourse particle (निपात)

• kubjayā: by the hunchback woman
• Type: Noun
• Root: kubjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karaṇa (करण) / Agent-instrument (कर्तृकरणभाव)

• samāhatā: struck, beaten
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-√han (धातु) + kta (क्त) -> samāhata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies mahiṣī
• Role: Karta (कर्ता) (as qualifier of subject)

• vāgiṣubhiḥ: by word-arrows (sharp words)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāk + iṣu (प्रातिपदिक); vāg-iṣu (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); components: vāk (speech) + iṣu (arrow) = 'speech-arrows'
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• muhur: again, repeatedly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: muhur (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)
• Role: Prakaraṇa/Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)

• muhuḥ: again and again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: muhuḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय); reduplicated with previous for emphasis
• Role: Prakaraṇa/Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)

• nidhāya: having placed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ni-√dhā (धातु) + lyap (ल्यप्) -> nidhāya (कृदन्त-अव्ययभाव)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्-कृदन्त, अव्यय), 'having placed'
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण) of main verb

• hastau: both hands
• Type: Noun
• Root: hasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Dual (द्विवचन)
• Role: Karma (कर्म) (object of nidhāya)

• hṛdaye: on the heart/chest
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)

• ativismitā: greatly astonished
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ati-vi-√smi (धातु) + kta (क्त) -> ativismita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies mahiṣī
• Role: Karta (कर्ता) (as qualifier of subject)

• śaśaṃsa: praised/spoke to
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śaṃs (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• kubjām: the hunchback woman
• Type: Noun
• Root: kubjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• kupitā: angered
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √kup (धातु) + kta (क्त) -> kupita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies mahiṣī
• Role: Karta (कर्ता) (as qualifier of subject)

• punaḥ: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)
• Role: Prakaraṇa/Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)

• punaḥ: again and again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय); repetition for emphasis
• Role: Prakaraṇa/Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)

Sandhi Notes

• tathāऽtividdhā = tathā + atividdhā
• hṛdayeऽtivismitā = hṛdaye + ativismitā
• vāgiṣubhir = vāg-iṣubhiḥ (vāk + iṣu, tatpuruṣa)

Context

Repeatedly struck down by that hunchback's arrow-sharp words greatly grieved queen Kaikeyi was inflamed against the king. Laying her hands on the chest again and again and expressing her amazement, she praised that hunchback.

The teaching

Harsh speech, when received without steadiness, becomes the spark for adharma.

Duties in tension

• Discernment (viveka) vs impulsive anger
• Loyalty to dharma of the house vs susceptibility to manipulative counsel

Ethical theme

Ācāra-dharma / self-mastery

For your practice

Practice of kṣamā and śama: do not let vāk-īṣu pierce the heart into krodha.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Raudra (fury), with Adbhuta (wonder)

Mood

Stung, inflamed, startled

Themes

• Itihasa
• Ethics
• Power of speech
• Emotional agitation (krodha)
• Dharma (loss of equanimity)

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Mantharā (Kubjā)

FAQs

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

It warns that anger and agitation can invert moral judgment—leading one to praise harmful counsel. Dharma requires steadiness and careful evaluation of advice.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī is emotionally overwhelmed by Mantharā’s repeated provocations; she internalizes them and responds with astonishment and heated approval.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse emphasizes susceptibility and emotional volatility; it implicitly contrasts with the Ramayana ideal of self-control and calm discernment.