Valmiki Ramayana 2.12.21 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 21

द्वादशः सर्गः — Kaikeyi’s Boons and Dasaratha’s Moral Collapse

Ayodhya Kanda 12

Devanagari script

ननु ते राघवस्तुल्यो भरतेन महात्मना।बहुशो हि सुबाले त्वं कथाः कथयसे मम।।।।

Transliteration

nanu te rāghavas tulyo bharatena mahātmanā | bahuśo hi subāle tvaṃ kathāḥ kathayase mama ||

Translation

ఓ అమాయక బాలికా, నీవు నాకు ఎన్నోసార్లు చెప్పావు—మహాత్ముడైన భరతునితో సమానంగా రాఘవుడు (రాముడు) కూడా నీకు ప్రియుడని।

Word by Word

• ननु: indeed?/surely (introducing a pointed remark)
• ननु: सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-प्रवर्तक (discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ननु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), प्रश्नार्थ-आक्षेपार्थे (interrogative/emphatic)

• ते: your / of you
• ते: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation: 'of you/your')
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (pronoun, gender-neutral); षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive) एकवचन; enclitic form of तव

• राघवः: Rāghava (Rāma)
• राघवः: कर्ता (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative) एकवचन

• तुल्यः: equal, comparable
• तुल्यः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (predicate adjective of the subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying राघवः)

• भरतेन: with Bharata / to Bharata (as the equal)
• भरतेन: करण/सह (standard of comparison; 'with/to')
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental) एकवचन

• महात्मना: high-souled, noble
• महात्मना: विशेषण (adjectival to the instrumental noun)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying भरतेन)

• बहुशः: many times, repeatedly
• बहुशः: क्रिया-विशेषण (adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुशस् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बोधक (emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (for/indeed)

• सुबाले: O good/innocent child (O childish one)
• सुबाले: सम्बोधन (address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative) एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (सु=शोभनः + बालः)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: कर्ता (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-विभक्ति एकवचन

• कथाः: stories, accounts
• कथाः: कर्म (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative) बहुवचन

• कथयसे: you tell, you narrate
• कथयसे: क्रिया (verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु) + णिच् (causative) → कथय (धातु-प्रयोग)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person); एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• मम: to me / of me
• मम: सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध (recipient/relational: 'to me' in sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive) एकवचन; enclitic form of मम

Context

O childish one, you used to tell me several times that Rama is as dear to you as the highsouled Bharata.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Bharata

FAQs

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

Dharma here points to fairness and consistency in one’s declared affections—partiality that contradicts one’s own stated values is ethically suspect.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha confronts Kaikeyī after her harsh demands, reminding her of her earlier claim that she loved Rāma as much as Bharata.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Daśaratha appeals to integrity (alignment of speech and intention), urging Kaikeyī to remain true to what she previously professed.