Valmiki Ramayana 2.9.59: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 9, Shloka 59

मन्थराप्रेरणा—वरद्वय-स्मरणं च

Manthara’s Provocation and the Recalling of Two Boons

Devanagari script

न सुवर्णेन मे ह्यर्थो न रत्नैर्न च भूषणैः।एष मे जीवितस्यान्तो रामो यद्यभिषिच्यते।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.9.59

Transliteration

na suvarṇena me hy artho na ratnair na ca bhūṣaṇaiḥ | eṣa me jīvitasya 'nto rāmo yady abhiṣicyate ||

Translation

न सुवर्णेन मे ह्यर्थो न रत्नैर्न च भूषणैः; एष मे जीवितस्यान्तो रामो यद्यभिषिच्यते॥

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Word by Word

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-निषेध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निषेध-अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negative particle)

• सुवर्णेन: by/with gold
• सुवर्णेन: करण (instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवर्ण (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (instrumental singular, neuter)

• मे: to me / my
• मे: सम्बन्ध (possessor/related to speaker)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (genitive singular pronoun; enclitic)

• हि: indeed / for
• हि: सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बोधक
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः; अवधारण/हेतौ (particle: indeed/for)

• अर्थः: need/aim/interest
• अर्थः: कर्तृ/विषय (subject/topic: 'need/aim')
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (nominative singular, masculine)

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-निषेध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निषेध-अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negative particle)

• रत्नैः: by/with gems
• रत्नैः: करण (instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (instrumental plural, neuter)

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-निषेध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निषेध-अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negative particle)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction: and/also)

• भूषणैः: by/with ornaments
• भूषणैः: करण (instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूषण (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (instrumental plural, neuter)

• एषः: this
• एषः: कर्तृ/विषय (subject: 'this')
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (nominative singular, masculine demonstrative)

• मे: my
• मे: सम्बन्ध (possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (genitive singular pronoun; enclitic)

• जीवितस्य: of (my) life
• जीवितस्य: सम्बन्ध (genitive relation: 'of life')
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवित (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (genitive singular, neuter)

• अन्तः: end
• अन्तः: कर्तृ/विषय (predicate-noun: 'end')
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (nominative singular, masculine)

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: कर्तृ (agent/subject of passive sense: the one to be consecrated)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (nominative singular, masculine)

• यदि: if
• यदि: सम्बन्ध (condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्ययम् (conditional particle: if)

• अभिषिच्यते: is consecrated/installed (as king)
• अभिषिच्यते: कर्म (in passive: 'is consecrated/installed')
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√सिच् (धातु) (सिच्—सेचने) + उपसर्गः अभि
• Form: लट्-लकारः (वर्तमानकालः), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (present indicative, 3rd person singular, passive)

Context

I do not aspire for gold, nor gems nor ornaments. If Rama is installed, that will be the end of my life.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Rāma

FAQs

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

Dharma evaluates motives: rejecting wealth does not itself make one righteous; when speech is driven by jealousy or fear, ‘truth’ becomes performative rather than satya aligned with dharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī insists her opposition to Rāma’s consecration is not material greed, but a life-or-death stance—intensifying the pressure on the palace.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse presents a distorted claim of detachment; it foregrounds fixation and aversion rather than a genuine virtue like vairāgya.