Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 7, Shloka 26

मन्थराप्रवेशः

Manthara Observes Ayodhya and Incites Kaikeyi

Devanagari script

उपवाह्य स दुष्टात्मा भरतं तव बन्धुषु।काल्ये स्थापयिता रामं राज्ये निहतकण्टके।।।।

Transliteration

upavāhya sa duṣṭātmā bharataṃ tava bandhuṣu | kālye sthāpayitā rāmaṃ rājye nihatakaṇṭake ||

Translation

那心怀邪恶之人，把婆罗多（Bharata）送往你亲族之中；到黎明时分，便要在已除尽障碍的国度里立罗摩（Rāma）为王。

Word by Word

• उपवाह्य: having led away
• उपवाह्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial to main verb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उप-वाह् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभावरूप कृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); ‘having led/caused to go’

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom/कर्ता) एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दुष्टात्मा: the evil-minded one
• दुष्टात्मा: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्ट + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: दुष्टः आत्मा यस्य/दुष्ट आत्मा = evil-minded person

• भरतम्: Bharata
• भरतम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc/कर्म) एकवचन

• तव: your
• तव: सम्बन्ध (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Gen/सम्बन्ध) एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• बन्धुषु: among (your) relatives
• बन्धुषु: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Loc/अधिकरण) बहुवचन

• काल्ये: at dawn (tomorrow)
• काल्ये: अधिकरण (Time-location/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (usage as time-noun), सप्तमी (Loc/अधिकरण) एकवचन; ‘at dawn/early morning’

• स्थापयिता: will install/establish (as agent)
• स्थापयिता: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्था (धातु) + णिच् (causative) + तृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: णsकृदन्त तृ-प्रत्ययान्त (agent noun/future sense); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘one who will install/establisher’

• रामम्: Rama
• रामम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc/कर्म) एकवचन

• राज्ये: in the kingdom
• राज्ये: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Loc/अधिकरण) एकवचन

• निहतकण्टके: (in a kingdom) free of obstacles
• निहतकण्टके: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘राज्ये’/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निहत + कण्टक (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः: निहताः कण्टकाः यस्मिन् (in which thorns/obstacles are removed)

Context

That evil-minded one, having sent Bharata away to your relations house, is going to install Rama unhindered in the kingdom at dawn tomorrow.

Characters & Entities

• Mantharā
• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha
• Rāma
• Bharata

FAQs

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

It raises the ethical issue of sidelining rightful stakeholders through manipulation; dharma in governance requires transparency and fairness in succession.

What is the narrative situation?

Mantharā alleges that Bharata has been intentionally sent away so that Rāma can be installed without resistance.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vigilance is urged—though the speech is designed to incite suspicion rather than balanced judgment.