Valmiki Ramayana 2.7.23: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 7, Shloka 23

मन्थराप्रवेशः · Manthara Observes Ayodhya and Incites Kaikeyi

Spoken by Manthara to KaikeyiSetting: Ayodhyā palacePlaces named: Ayodhyā

Devanagari script

नराधिपकुले जाता महिषी त्वं महीपतेः ।

उग्रत्वं राजधर्माणां कथं देवि न बुध्यसे ॥२३॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.7.23

Transliteration

narādhipakule jātā mahiṣī tvaṃ mahīpateḥ |

ugratvaṃ rājadharmāṇāṃ kathaṃ devi na budhyase ||23||

Translation

नराधिपकुले जाता महिषी त्वं महीपतेः। उग्रत्वं राजधर्माणां कथं देवि न बुध्यसे॥

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Word by Word

• narādhipa-kule: in a royal family
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक) + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक) + kula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘narādhipasya kulam’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• jātā: born
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (past participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘born’
• Role: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate)

• mahiṣī: queen-consort
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahiṣī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate noun)

• tvam: you
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• mahīpateḥ: of the king
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahīpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• ugratvam: harshness, severity
• Type: Noun
• Root: ugratva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• rāja-dharmāṇām: of royal duties/statecraft
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक) + dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘rājñaḥ dharmāḥ’), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• katham: how
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (interrogative adverb)
• Role: Prashna (प्रश्न)

• devi: O queen
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)

• na: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (negation)
• Role: Niṣedha (निषेध)

• budhyase: you understand, you realize
• Type: Verb
• Root: budh (धातु)
• Form: लट्, आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

Sandhi Notes

• narādhipakule = narādhipa + kule
• rājadharmāṇām = rāja + dharmāṇām.

Context

O queen, born in the royal family and being a king's consort why don't you realise the ruthless ways of statecraft?

The teaching

Status brings responsibility: those within rājadharma must anticipate the harsh consequences of political choices and guard against adharma born of ambition.

Duties in tension

• Queenly duty to uphold stability of succession
• Personal/filial ambition for Bharata (implied)
• King’s rājadharma vs palace factionalism

Ethical theme

Rājadharma / statecraft

For your practice

Invites reflection on role-dharma (svadharma) and the need for inner restraint when wielding influence.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Vira (heroism), with Raudra (fury)

Mood

Stern, realist, political

Themes

• Dharma
• Rājadharma
• Political realism
• Court ethics
• Power

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Mantharā
• Kaikeyī
• Rājadharma (royal duty/statecraft)

FAQs

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

It references rājadharma: governance often involves hard decisions; dharmically, such harshness must still be guided by justice and truth, not factional gain.

What is the narrative situation?

Mantharā rebukes Kaikeyī for naivety and frames succession as ruthless political terrain.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Practical wisdom (nīti-jñāna) is urged—though Mantharā’s use of it is meant to provoke fear and action.