Valmiki Ramayana 2.36.11: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 36, Shloka 11

अयोध्याकाण्डे षट्त्रिंशः सर्गः

Daśaratha’s orders for Rama’s escort; Kaikeyi’s fear; the Asamañjasa precedent

Devanagari script

सा विषण्णा च सन्त्रस्ता मुखेन परिशुष्यता।राजानमेवाभिमुखी कैकेयी वाक्यमब्रवीत्।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.36.11

Transliteration

sā viṣaṇṇā ca santrastā mukhena pariśuṣyatā | rājānam evābhimukhī kaikeyī vākyam abravīt || 2.36.11 ||

Translation

Lugmok at nanginginig sa pangamba, at tuyong-tuyo ang mukha, hinarap ni Kaikeyī ang hari at nagsalita.

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Word by Word

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular; pronoun referring to Kaikeyi

• viṣaṇṇā: dejected
• viṣaṇṇā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣaṇṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular; adjective of sā

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• santrastā: frightened
• santrastā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: santrasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular; adjective of sā

• mukhena: with (her) face/countenance
• mukhena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (तृतीया) Singular

• pariśuṣyatā: drying up
• pariśuṣyatā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-śuṣ (धातु)
• Form: Vartamāna-kṛdanta (present active participle/शतृ) in Instrumental (तृतीया) Singular feminine; agreeing with sā; 'while drying up'

• rājānam: the king
• rājānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया) Singular

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निश्चय/अवधारण)

• abhimukhī: facing (towards)
• abhimukhī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhimukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular; predicate adjective of sā

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

• vākyam: words/speech
• vākyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया) Singular

• abravīt: spoke/said
• abravīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्) aorist; Parasmaipada; Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person) Singular

Context

The dejected and frightened Kaikeyi with a dry countenance, looked at the king and said:

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha

FAQs

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

Speech (vāk) is shown as consequential: the scene frames a pivotal utterance whose moral weight will affect family and kingdom.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī, shaken, prepares to address Daśaratha directly in the escalating dispute over the boons and succession.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse emphasizes emotional vulnerability rather than virtue; it sets up how fear and dejection can precede decisive (and ethically charged) speech.