Valmiki Ramayana 2.9.54: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 9, Shloka 54

मन्थराप्रेरणा—वरद्वय-स्मरणं च

Manthara’s Provocation and the Recalling of Two Boons

Devanagari script

गतोदके सेतुबन्धो न कल्याणि विधीयते।उत्तिष्ठ कुरु कल्याणि राजानमनुदर्शय।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.9.54

Transliteration

gatodake setubandho na kalyāṇi vidhīyate | uttiṣṭha kuru kalyāṇi rājānam anudarśaya ||

Translation

Ó senhora auspiciosa, quando a água já se foi, não se pode pôr mãos à obra para erguer um dique. Levanta-te agora; age sem demora e mostra tua resolução diante do rei.

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Word by Word

• गत-उदके: when the water has gone (after the water has flowed away)
• गत-उदके: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Time-Location) (कालसप्तमी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत (कृदन्त; √गम् क्त) + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष/बहुव्रीहि-प्रायः (उदके गते = when the water has gone)

• सेतु-बन्धः: the building of a dam/bridge
• सेतु-बन्धः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject) (विधीयते इत्यस्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेतु (प्रातिपदिक) + बन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सेतोः बन्धः)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• कल्याणि: O auspicious one
• कल्याणि: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्याणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• विधीयते: is undertaken/done
• विधीयते: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √धा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive voice)

• उत्तिष्ठ: rise up
• उत्तिष्ठ: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + √स्था (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• कुरु: do, perform
• कुरु: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• कल्याणि: O auspicious one
• कल्याणि: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्याणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• राजानम्: the king
• राजानम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अनुदर्शय: show (it) to; make (him) see
• अनुदर्शय: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + √दृश् (धातु) (णिच् causative implied in form)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

Context

O fortunate one! construction of a dike is not undertaken after the water has flowed down. Act before the king to the best of your interest.

Characters & Entities

• Mantharā
• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha (implied by 'the king')

FAQs

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

The verse uses a proverb to urge timely action; ethically, it warns that delay can make even rightful duties impossible. In context, however, Mantharā weaponizes ‘prudence’ to push Kaikeyī toward an adharma-motivated intervention.

What is the narrative situation?

Mantharā presses Kaikeyī to act immediately—before decisions become irreversible—by confronting the king regarding the succession.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Not virtue but strategic urgency is emphasized; it highlights decisiveness, though here it is directed toward a morally questionable aim.