Valmiki Ramayana 2.12.9: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 9

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

Ayodhya Kanda 12

Devanagari script

त्वं मयाऽऽत्मविनाशार्थं भवनं स्वं प्रवेशिता ॥९॥

अविज्ञानान्नृपसुता व्याली तीक्ष्णविषा यथा ।

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.12.9

Transliteration

tvaṃ mayātmavināśārthaṃ bhavanaṃ svaṃ praveśitā ||9||

avijñānān nṛpasutā vyālī tīkṣṇaviṣā yathā |

Translation

ด้วยความไม่รู้ของเรา เรานำเจ้า—ธิดาแห่งพระราชา—เข้ามาในเรือนของตน เพื่อความพินาศของตนเอง ดุจงูเพศเมียที่มีพิษร้ายแรงยิ่ง

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Word by Word

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: कर्ता (Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-शब्दः; पुंलिङ्गे (सामान्य-प्रयोगः); प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• मया: by me
• मया: करणम् (Instrument/Agentive means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-शब्दः; पुंलिङ्गे (सामान्य-प्रयोगः); तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• आत्मविनाशार्थम्: for (your) self-destruction
• आत्मविनाशार्थम्: प्रयोजनम् (Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् + विनाश + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः): आत्मनः विनाशः = आत्मविनाशः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष), तस्य अर्थः = आत्मविनाशार्थः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम् (Singular); प्रयोजनार्थक-उपपद-भावः (purpose)

• भवनम्: house, dwelling
• भवनम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• स्वम्: one's own (my own)
• स्वम्: कर्म-विशेषणम् (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषणम्; नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम् (Singular); भवनम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• प्रवेशिता: (you were) made to enter / ushered in
• प्रवेशिता: क्रिया/विधेयम् (Predicative action-state)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + विश् (धातु) → प्रवेशित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त-प्रत्ययान्त-भूतकर्मणि/णिजन्त-प्रयोगः; स्त्रीलिङ्गम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), एकवचनम् (Singular); कर्मणि-प्रयोगे ‘त्वम्’ इत्यस्य विधेय-रूपेण (passive/predicative participle)

• अविज्ञानात्: from ignorance; due to ignorance
• अविज्ञानात्: हेतुः (Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + विज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (Ablative), एकवचनम् (Singular); हेत्वर्थः (cause)

• नृपसुता: king's daughter
• नृपसुता: कर्ता-सम्बन्धी (Appositional identifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप + सुता (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: समासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः): नृपस्य सुता; स्त्रीलिङ्गम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), एकवचनम् (Singular); ‘त्वम्’ इत्यस्य समानाधिकरण-विशेष्य/सम्बोधन-भावः (apposition)

• व्याली: a female serpent
• व्याली: उपमानम् (Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), एकवचनम् (Singular); उपमान-रूपेण (as the standard of comparison)

• तीक्ष्णविषा: sharp-venomed; highly venomous
• तीक्ष्णविषा: उपमान-विशेषणम् (Qualifier of standard of comparison)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीक्ष्ण + विष (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: समासः (कर्मधारयः): तीक्ष्णं विषं यस्याः सा; स्त्रीलिङ्गम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), एकवचनम् (Singular); ‘व्याली’ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• यथा: like; as
• यथा: उपमा-सूचक (Comparator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; उपमा-प्रदर्शक-अव्ययम् (comparative particle: 'as/like')

Context

In my ignorance I brought home for my selfdestruction a king's daughter who was like a venomous female serpent.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī

FAQs

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

The verse frames adharma as destructive when driven by ignorance and unchecked desire; it warns that wrong judgment in intimate bonds can ruin a righteous household.

What is the narrative situation?

In anger and despair, Daśaratha condemns Kaikeyī, saying he unknowingly brought ruin into his home by marrying her.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Negative exemplum: Kaikeyī is portrayed as embodying harmful intent; Daśaratha’s tragic recognition underscores the need for discernment (viveka).