Valmiki Ramayana 2.7.18 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 7, Shloka 18

मन्थराप्रवेशः

Manthara Observes Ayodhya and Incites Kaikeyi

Devanagari script

मन्थरा तु वच श्श्रुत्वा कैकेय्या मधुराक्षरम्।उवाच क्रोधसंयुक्ता वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदा।।।।

Transliteration

mantharā tu vacaḥ śrutvā kaikeyyā madhurākṣaram | uvāca krodhasaṃyuktā vākyaṃ vākyaviśāradā ||

Translation

मन्थरा तु वचः श्रुत्वा कैकेय्या मधुराक्षरम्। उवाच क्रोधसंयुक्ता वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदा॥

Word by Word

• mantharā: Mantharā
• mantharā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantharā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle)

• vacaḥ: words
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु) + ktvā (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त्वान्त अव्यय/gerund), ‘having heard’

• kaikeyyāḥ: of Kaikeyi
• kaikeyyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaikeyī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• madhura-akṣaram: sweet-syllabled, in sweet accents
• madhura-akṣaram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madhura (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (vacaḥ)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• krodha-saṃyuktā: filled with anger
• krodha-saṃyuktā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: krodha (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃyukta (प्रातिपदिक; √yuj)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः: ‘krodhena saṃyuktā’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (mantharā)

• vākyam: a statement, words
• vākyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• vākya-viśāradā: skilled in speech
• vākya-viśāradā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक) + viśārada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सप्तमी/विषय-तत्पुरुषः: ‘vākye viśāradā’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (mantharā)

Context

That hunchback feeling still more depressed in her (Kaikeyi's) interest and intending to cause in her despondency and distance Rama from her spoke out:

Characters & Entities

• Mantharā
• Kaikeyī

FAQs

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

Speech is morally charged: rhetorical skill without truthfulness (satya) and goodwill becomes dangerous, showing why dharma demands restraint and right intention in counsel.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī speaks gently; Mantharā, though angry, prepares a calculated response, leveraging her verbal skill.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse spotlights communicative ability; ethically, it implies that true virtue is aligning speech-skill with truth and benevolence—not anger.