Valmiki Ramayana 2.7.12: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 7, Shloka 12

मन्थराप्रवेशः · Manthara Observes Ayodhya and Incites Kaikeyi

Setting: अयोध्या palace (prāsāda likened to Kailāsa peak)Places named: कैलास (simile), (implicit) अयोध्याDescent from upper palace chambers toward inner apartments

Devanagari script

धात्र्यास्तु वचनं शृत्वा कुब्जा क्षिप्रममर्षिता ।

कैलासशिखराकारा त्प्रासादादवरोहत ॥१२॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.7.12

Transliteration

dhātryās tu vacanaṃ śrutvā kubjā kṣipram amarṣitā |

kailāsaśikharākārāt prāsādād avarohata ||12||

Translation

धात्र्याः वचनं श्रुत्वा कुब्जा क्षिप्रम् अमर्षिता; कैलासशिखराकारात् प्रासादात् अवरोहत्।

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Word by Word

• धात्र्याः: of the nurse/maid
• Type: Noun
• Root: धात्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध) एकवचनम्
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (particle): contrast/emphasis
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)

• वचनम्: words/speech
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (कर्म) एकवचनम्
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्तम् (gerund): 'having heard'
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)

• कुब्जा: the hunchback (Manthara)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुब्जा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा (कर्ता) एकवचनम्
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• क्षिप्रम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षिप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम् (adverb): 'quickly'
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)

• अमर्षिता: angered
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमर्षित (कृदन्त, √मृष् with neg/privative a-)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle) स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; 'angered/indignant'
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• कैलास-शिखर-आकारात्: from (a palace) resembling Kailasa's peak
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कैलास (प्रातिपदिक) + शिखर (प्रातिपदिक) + आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे पञ्चमी (अपादान) एकवचनम्; विशेषणवत् प्रासादात् प्रति; समासार्थः: कैलासस्य शिखरस्य आकारः यस्य (तस्मात्)
• Role: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• प्रासादात्: from the palace
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रासाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे पञ्चमी (अपादान) एकवचनम्
• Role: Apādāna (अपादान)

• अवरोहत: descended
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-√रुह् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

Sandhi Notes

• धात्र्याः+तु → धात्र्यास्तु
• शिखर+आकारात् → शिखराकारात्

Context

Having heard these words of the royal maid, the hunchback became furious and speedily descended from that palace resembling the peak of mount Kailasa.

The teaching

Unchecked indignation (amarsa) becomes the engine of adharma, turning service into sabotage.

Duties in tension

• Loyalty to queen (sevā-dharma) vs truth/justice toward rightful succession
• Personal envy vs duty to uphold royal welfare

Ethical theme

अधर्म-प्रवृत्ति/ईर्ष्या (envy-driven wrongdoing)

How it resolves

Escalation toward adharma (no resolution here)

For your practice

Practice krodha-pratipakṣa-bhāvanā (cultivating opposites to anger) and vigilance over reactive speech.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Raudra (fury)

Mood

Incensed, hasty, ominous

Themes

• Narrative
• Ethics (jealousy/resentment as adharma-seed)
• Court intrigue
• Emotional agitation

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Mantharā (kubjā)
• palace (prāsāda)

FAQs

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

The verse foreshadows how uncontrolled resentment disrupts dharma: indignation becomes the motive force that soon undermines rightful succession and family harmony.

What is the narrative situation?

Mantharā, angered by the news of Rāma’s installation, hastens down from the palace to act.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

A negative trait is highlighted—Mantharā’s impulsive anger—serving as a moral contrast to Rāma’s jitakrodha.