Valmiki Ramayana 2.9.3: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 9, Shloka 3

मन्थराप्रेरणा · वरद्वय-स्मरणं च

Manthara’s Provocation and the Recalling of Two Boons

Spoken by Kaikeyi to MantharaSetting: Ayodhya (royal quarters/inner palace)

Devanagari script

इदं त्विदानीं सम्पश्य केनोपायेन मन्थरे ।

भरतः प्राप्नुयाद्राज्यं न तु रामः कथञ्चन ॥३॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.9.3

Transliteration

idaṃ tv idānīṃ sampaśya kenopāyena manthare |

bharataḥ prāpnuyād rājyaṃ na tu rāmaḥ kathañcana ||3||

Translation

บัดนี้จงพิจารณาเถิด โอ มันถรา—ด้วยอุบายใดเล่า ภรตะจักได้ราชสมบัติ และพระรามจักมิได้เลย ไม่ว่าด้วยประการใดก็ตาม

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Word by Word

• इदम्: this
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (this [matter])
• Role: Karma (कर्म; object of ‘सम्पश्य’)

• तु: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (indeed/but)
• Role: Sambandha-nipāta (सम्बन्ध-निपात)

• इदानीम्: now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इदानीम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (now)
• Role: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)

• सम्पश्य: see/consider
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-पश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया; command)

• केन: by what
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-प्रयोग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक (by what)
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• उपायेन: means
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; साधन (means)
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• मन्थरे: O Manthara
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्थरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)

• भरतः: Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• प्राप्नुयात्: should obtain
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• राज्यम्: the kingdom
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध (negation)
• Role: Pratiṣedha-nipāta (प्रतिषेध-निपात)

• तु: but
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (contrast: but/as for)
• Role: Sambandha-nipāta (सम्बन्ध-निपात)

• रामः: Rama
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता; in contrasted clause)

• कथञ्चन: by any means
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथञ्चन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकार/परिमाणवाचक (in any way/at all)
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)

Sandhi Notes

• त्विदानीम् = तु + इदानीम्
• केनोपायेन = केन + उपायेन
• प्राप्नुयाद्राज्यम् = प्राप्नुयात् + राज्यम्

Context

O Manthara! now see, for sure, Bharata and not Rama will get the kingdom by anymeans.

The teaching

When artha and attachment dominate, counsel becomes 'upāya' against dharma, initiating collective suffering.

Duties in tension

• Queenly duty to uphold righteous succession vs maternal partiality toward Bharata
• Loyalty to Daśaratha/Rāma vs pursuit of power

Ethical theme

Rājadharma vs svārtha (self-interest)

For your practice

Cautionary contemplation (nididhyāsana) on how desire distorts speech and intention; practice of vairāgya and satya in counsel.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Raudra (fury), with Bhayanaka (fear)

Mood

Scheming, urgent, cold

Themes

• Dharma
• Ethics
• Succession
• Adharma impulse
• Court politics

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Mantharā
• Bharata
• Rāma
• kingdom (rājya)

FAQs

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

It exposes the ethical deviation where personal desire overrides fairness; dharma in kingship requires impartial succession norms, not intrigue driven by favoritism.

What is the narrative situation?

Having been provoked by Mantharā, Kaikeyī begins actively plotting to prevent Rāma’s coronation and secure the throne for Bharata.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

A negative trait is foregrounded—jealousy/attachment—showing how lack of self-control undermines dharmic judgment.