Valmiki Ramayana 2.78.26: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 78, Shloka 26

अष्टसप्ततितमः सर्गः — Śatrughna’s Fury and Bharata’s Restraint

Mantharā Episode

Devanagari script

शत्रुघ्नविक्षेपविमूढसंज्ञां समीक्ष्य कुब्जां भरतस्य माता।शनैस्समाश्वासयदार्तरूपां क्रौञ्चीं विलग्नामिव वीक्षमाणाम्।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.78.26

Transliteration

śatrughnavikṣepavimūḍhasaṁjñāṁ samīkṣya kubjāṁ bharatasya mātā |

śanais samāśvāsayad ārtarūpāṁ krauñcīṁ vilagnām iva vīkṣamāṇām ||

Translation

เมื่อทอดพระเนตรหญิงค่อมผู้สติเลอะเลือนเพราะถูกศัตรุฆนะเหวี่ยงกระแทก ผู้มีรูปอันทุกข์ระทม เหลียวมองไปมาดุจนกกระเรียนเคราญจีเพศเมียที่ติดบ่วง พระมารดาของพระภรตะคือไกเกยีจึงปลอบโยนอย่างแผ่วเบา

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Word by Word

• शत्रुघ्न: of Śatrughna
• शत्रुघ्न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śatrughna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; in compound as genitive qualifier

• विक्षेप: throwing down
• विक्षेप: Hetu/Instrumental sense within compound (हेतु/करणार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vikṣepa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; in compound (throwing/knocking down)

• विमूढ: bewildered
• विमूढ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-mūḍha (कृदन्त; √muh मोहने)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; qualifying संज्ञाम्

• संज्ञाम्: consciousness/senses
• संज्ञाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃjñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; object of समीक्ष्य

• समीक्ष्य: having seen
• समीक्ष्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-īkṣ (धातु; √īkṣ दर्शने)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘having seen/observed’

• कुब्जाम्: the hunchback woman
• कुब्जाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kubjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; apposition to (विमूढसंज्ञाम्)

• भरतस्य: of Bharata
• भरतस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; possessor of माता

• माता: mother
• माता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; subject

• शनैः: gently/slowly
• शनैः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śanais (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• समाश्वासयत्: consoled
• समाश्वासयत्: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-śvāsaya (धातु; √śvas श्वसने, causative)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; causative ‘consoled’

• आर्त: distressed
• आर्त: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ārta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; in compound qualifying रूपाम्

• रूपाम्: (one) in appearance/state
• रूपाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; object of समाश्वासयत्

• क्रौञ्चीम्: a female krauñca bird
• क्रौञ्चीम्: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krauñcī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; upamāna with इव

• विलग्नाम्: caught/entangled
• विलग्नाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-lagna (कृदन्त; √lag लग्ने)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; qualifying (कुब्जाम्/आर्तरूपाम्)

• इव: like/as if
• इव: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• वीक्षमाणाम्: looking around
• वीक्षमाणाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-īkṣamāṇa (कृदन्त; √īkṣ दर्शने)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle), आत्मनेपद-प्राय, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; qualifying kubjām

Context

In the first place, the king could have restrained himself by reflecting on whether the course of action adopted by him under the influence of a woman was just or unjust.

Characters & Entities

• Śatrughna
• Mantharā (kubjā)
• Bharata
• Kaikeyī (Bharata’s mother)
• krauñcī (female krauñca bird; simile)

FAQs

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

Dharma in social life includes calming harm and restoring order after violence; consolation and care are presented as immediate duties once aggression is halted.

What is the narrative situation?

Following Bharata’s intervention and Śatrughna’s release of Mantharā, Kaikeyī sees Mantharā shaken and comforts her.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Gentleness (mṛdutā) and protective composure: Kaikeyī’s act of soothing shows a caregiving response amid crisis, regardless of broader moral blame in the episode.