Valmiki Ramayana 2.9.37 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 9, Shloka 37

मन्थराप्रेरणा—वरद्वय-स्मरणं च

Manthara’s Provocation and the Recalling of Two Boons

Devanagari script

सा हि वाक्येन कुब्जायाः किशोरीवोत्पथं गता।।।।कैकेयी विस्मयं प्राप्ता परं परमदर्शना।

Transliteration

sā hi vākyena kubjāyāḥ kiśorīva utpathaṁ gatā |

kaikeyī vismayaṁ prāptā paraṁ parama-darśanā ||

Translation

เพราะพระนางไกเกยี—ผู้เลื่องชื่อว่ามีปัญญาเห็นแจ้งยิ่ง—กลับตะลึงด้วยถ้อยคำของนางค่อม และดุจเด็กสาวไร้เดียงสา ก็หลงไปสู่ทางอันผิด

Word by Word

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Feminine, Nominative, Singular; subject

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• vākyena: by the words
• vākyena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular; instrument/cause

• kubjāyāḥ: of the hunchback
• kubjāyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kubjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; 'of the hunchback (woman)'

• kiśorī: a young girl
• kiśorī: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kiśorī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular; used in simile with iva

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Simile particle (उपमा-वाचक अव्यय)

• utpatham: a wrong path
• utpatham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: utpatha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; goal/object with gatā

• gatā: went/entered
• gatā: Kriyā (क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु) + -ta (क्त)
• Form: Past participle; Feminine, Nominative, Singular; predicate with sā/kaikeyī

• kaikeyī: Kaikeyi
• kaikeyī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaikeyī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular; apposition to sā

• vismayam: astonishment
• vismayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vismaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; object of prāptā

• prāptā: attained/experienced
• prāptā: Kriyā (क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√āp (धातु) + -ta (क्त)
• Form: Past participle; Feminine, Nominative, Singular; predicate

• param: great
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; used adverbially/intensifier with vismayam (great)

• paramadarśanā: of excellent discernment
• paramadarśanā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + darśanā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya: paramā darśanā (excellent in insight/foresight); Feminine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with kaikeyī

Context

(She said) O hunchback, I never knew that you can speak such excellent words or decide things intelligently. You are the best among the hunchbacks of this world.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Mantharā

FAQs

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

Even the wise can fall when emotion and flattery override truth. Dharma requires steadiness of judgment, especially when counsel leads toward harm and injustice.

What is the narrative situation?

Mantharā’s rhetoric shocks and sways Kaikeyī; the narration marks Kaikeyī’s decisive moral deviation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Mature discernment is contrasted with impulsive wonder; the verse stresses the virtue of self-control and careful reflection before acting.