Valmiki Ramayana 2.9.10: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 9, Shloka 10

मन्थराप्रेरणा · वरद्वय-स्मरणं च

Manthara’s Provocation and the Recalling of Two Boons

Spoken by Manthara to KaikeyiSetting: Ayodhyā palace (antaḥpura)Places named: Ayodhyā

Devanagari script

एवमुक्ता तया देव्या मन्थरा पापदर्शिनी ।

रामार्थमुपहिंसन्ती कुब्जा वचनमब्रवीत् ॥१०॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.9.10

Transliteration

evamuktā tayā devyā mantharā pāpadarśinī |

rāmārtham upahiṃsantī kubjā vacanam abravīt ||10||

Translation

Tak przemówiona przez królową, Mantharā, garbata kobieta o złym spojrzeniu, odpowiedziała, zdecydowana zaszkodzić sprawie Rāmy.

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Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)

• उक्ता: having been addressed
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘मन्थरा’ इत्यस्य विशेषण
• Role: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृसामानाधिकरण)

• तया: by her
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• देव्या: by the queen
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• मन्थरा: Manthara
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्थरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• पापदर्शिनी: evil-minded
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पापदर्शिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण
• Role: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृसामानाधिकरण)

• रामार्थम्: Rama's interest
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म; object of ‘उपहिंसन्ती’)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• उपहिंसन्ती: harming
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-हिंस् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘मन्थरा’ इत्यस्य विशेषण
• Role: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृसामानाधिकरण)

• कुब्जा: the hunchback woman
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुब्जा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘मन्थरा’ इत्यस्य समानाधिकरण (apposition)
• Role: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृसामानाधिकरण)

• वचनम्: words
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म; object of ‘अब्रवीत्’)

• अब्रवीत्: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

Sandhi Notes

• रामार्थम् = राम + अर्थम्
• वचनमब्रवीत् = वचनम् + अब्रवीत्

Context

Thus addressed by the queen (Kaikeyi), the evil-eyed hunchback, Manthara, said with the intention to damage Rama's interest.

The teaching

A kingdom’s downfall begins when rulers accept counsel rooted in envy and harm; discern advisers by their intent toward dharma.

Duties in tension

• Loyal counsel versus self-serving manipulation
• Queen’s duty to protect dharma versus ambition-driven intrigue
• Truthful speech versus harmful speech

Ethical theme

Nīti-śāstra / ku-mantra-doṣa

How it resolves

Escalation through adharma counsel (no true resolution)

For your practice

Practice of viveka: examine motives behind speech; cultivate satya and ahiṃsā in counsel.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Bhayanaka (fear), with Raudra (fury)

Mood

Ominous, scheming, poisoned

Themes

• Dharma
• Ethics
• Adharma (malice)
• Manipulation
• Itihasa

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Mantharā
• Kaikeyī
• Rāma

FAQs

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

Dharma rejects speech driven by malice; intentional harm to the righteous (here, Rāma’s welfare) is presented as adharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Mantharā responds to Kaikeyī, positioning her counsel as a deliberate attempt to derail Rāma’s prospects.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse foregrounds the opposite of virtue—goodwill and truthfulness—by depicting calculated ill-intent and corrosive counsel.