Valmiki Ramayana 2.12.8 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 8

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

Ayodhya Kanda 12

Devanagari script

यदा ते जननीतुल्यां वृत्तिं वहति राघव: ।।।।तस्यैव त्वमनर्थाय किंनिमित्तमिहोद्यता ।

Transliteration

yadā te jananītulyāṁ vṛttiṁ vahati rāghavaḥ | tasyaiva tvam anarthāya kiṁnimittam ihodyatā ||

Translation

جب رाघو (رام) تمہارے ساتھ ماں کے مانند احترام اور برتاؤ کرتا ہے، تو پھر تم کس سبب سے یہاں اس نیک شخص کے لیے نقصان کا ارادہ کیے کھڑی ہو؟

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: सम्बन्ध/कालाधिकरण (temporal setting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (temporal adverb/conjunction)

• ते: of you / for you
• ते: सम्बन्ध (genitive relation: 'of/for you')
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम (Genitive singular)

• जननी-तुल्याम्: (as) like (his) mother
• जननी-तुल्याम्: कर्म-विशेषण (qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जननी (प्रातिपदिक) + तुल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (जननी-तुल्या = 'mother-like'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनम् (Accusative singular feminine)

• वृत्तिम्: conduct / behavior
• वृत्तिम्: कर्म (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनम् (Accusative singular feminine)

• वहति: carries / maintains
• वहति: क्रिया (action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), परस्मैपदम्; प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम् (3rd person singular)

• राघवः: Rāghava (Rāma)
• राघवः: कर्ता (agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचनम् (Nominative singular masculine)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (genitive: 'of him')
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम (Genitive singular)

• एव: indeed / just
• एव: सम्बन्ध/निपात (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (emphatic particle)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: कर्ता (agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम (Nominative singular)

• अनर्थाय: for harm / for injustice
• अनर्थाय: सम्प्रदान (purpose/for)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचनम् (Dative singular masculine/neuter stem used as masculine here)

• किम्: what
• किम्: कर्म (object within interrogative phrase)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनम्; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम (Interrogative, accusative singular)

• निमित्तम्: reason / purpose
• निमित्तम्: कर्म (object: 'for what reason/purpose')
• Type: Noun
• Root: निमित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनम् (Accusative singular neuter)

• इह: here
• इह: अधिकरण (location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्ययम् (locative adverb)

• उद्यताः: ready / intent / attempting
• उद्यताः: कर्ता-विशेषण (predicate adjective of the agent)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद् + यत (धातु: यत्) → उद्यत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृत्/कृत-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषणम् (past participial adjective: 'raised/ready/intent'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचनम् (Nominative plural masculine)

Context

Then Rama was conducting himself in relation to you as his own mother, for what purpose are you seeking injustice to such a person?

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī
• Rāma (Rāghava)

FAQs

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

It upholds maryādā and gratitude: harming one who behaves with filial reverence is adharma and a violation of truth-based moral reciprocity.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha argues that Rāma has treated Kaikeyī like a mother, so her hostility toward him is unjustified.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s virtue of respectful conduct (mātṛvat-vṛtti) is highlighted as the standard of dharmic behavior.