Valmiki Ramayana 2.9.43: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 9, Shloka 43

मन्थराप्रेरणा · वरद्वय-स्मरणं च

Manthara’s Provocation and the Recalling of Two Boons

Spoken by Kaikeyi to MantharaSetting: अयोध्या (Kaikeyī’s antaḥpura)

Devanagari script

जघनं तव निर्घुष्टं रशनादामशोभितम् ॥४३॥

जङ्घे भृशमुपन्यस्ते पादौ चाप्यायतावुभौ ।

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.9.43

Transliteration

jaghanaṁ tava nirghuṣṭaṁ raśanā-dāma-śobhitam ||43||

jaṅghe bhṛśam upanyaste pādau cāpy āyatāv ubhau |

Translation

Twoje biodra, zdobione brzęczącym pasem, rozbrzmiewają, gdy się poruszasz; twoje łydki są silnie zbudowane, a obie stopy długie i dobrze uformowane.

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Word by Word

• jaghanam: hips
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaghana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• tava: your
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)

• nirghuṣṭam: resounding/jingling
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-ghuṣ (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle, Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; qualifying 'jaghanam'
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• raśanādāmaśobhitam: adorned with a girdle-belt
• Type: Adjective
• Root: raśanā + dāma + śobhita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: raśanā-dāma (girdle-belt) + śobhita; Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; qualifying 'jaghanam'
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• jaṅghe: (your) shanks/calves
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaṅghā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• bhṛśam: exceedingly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhṛśam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb of degree (परिमाणवाचक)
• Role: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)

• upanyaste: are placed/set
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-ni-as (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra, Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Dvivacana; ātmanepada
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• pādau: feet
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)

• api: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta, inclusion/emphasis
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)

• āyatau: long/extended
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āyata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana; qualifying 'pādau'
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• ubhau: both
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana; apposition to 'pādau'
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

Sandhi Notes

• bhṛśamupanyaste = bhṛśam + upanyaste
• cāpyāyatāvubhau = ca + api + āyatau + ubhau

Context

Your hips, glitter with the jingling girdle. Strong are the calfs of your legs and long are your feet.

The teaching

Duties in tension

• राजधर्म (truthful counsel and welfare of the kingdom) vs. स्वार्थ/पुत्र-हित (partisan ambition)
• सख्य-धर्म (honest friendship) vs. कपट-नीति (manipulative flattery)

Ethical theme

नीति/कपट (courtly ethics)

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shringara (love), with Hasya (humour)

Mood

Coaxing, sensuous, scheming

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Ethics
• Itihasa

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Mantharā

FAQs

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

It indirectly shows how attention can be diverted from truth and duty to sensual admiration; dharma requires guarding the mind from such derailments when critical decisions approach.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī continues her praise, strengthening Mantharā’s influence over her at the very moment a grave decision is forming.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implied virtue is mindfulness and moral alertness—maintaining clarity rather than being carried by admiration and emotional bonding.