Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 7, Shloka 32

मन्थराप्रवेशः

Manthara Observes Ayodhya and Incites Kaikeyi

Devanagari script

अतीव सा तु संहृष्टा कैकेयी विस्मयान्विता।एकमाभरणं तस्यै कुब्जायै प्रददौ शुभम्।।।।

Transliteration

atīva sā tu saṃhṛṣṭā kaikeyī vismayānvitā |

ekam ābharaṇaṃ tasyai kubjāyai pradadau śubham || 2.7.32 ||

Translation

迦吉伊极其欢喜，又满怀惊异，便赐给那驼背女子一件华美的饰物。

Word by Word

• अतीव: exceedingly
• अतीव: क्रियाविशेषण (Degree/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतीव (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/अतिशयवाचक अव्यय (exceedingly)

• सा: she
• सा: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: निपात (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrastive particle)

• संहृष्टा: delighted
• संहृष्टा: विधेय (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-हृष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘delighted’

• कैकेयी: Kaikeyi
• कैकेयी: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैकेयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• विस्मयान्विता: filled with astonishment
• विस्मयान्विता: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘कैकेयी’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्मय + अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त; समास)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘endowed’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः: विस्मयेन अन्विता = filled with astonishment

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘आभरणम्’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• आभरणम्: ornament
• आभरणम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आभरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc/कर्म) एकवचन

• तस्यै: to her
• तस्यै: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dat/सम्प्रदान) एकवचन

• कुब्जायै: to the hunchback woman
• कुब्जायै: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुब्जा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dat) एकवचन

• प्रददौ: gave
• प्रददौ: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शुभम्: beautiful/auspicious
• शुभम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with आभरणम्)

Context

Filled with immense joy and wonder (at the news), Kaikeyi gifted a beauthful ornament to that hunchback.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Mantharā (kubjā)

FAQs

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

It cautions that rewards should follow righteous counsel; gifting in response to manipulative advice can entrench adharma by incentivizing harmful speech.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī, pleased by what she has heard, immediately rewards Mantharā, strengthening their conspiratorial bond.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Generosity appears outwardly, but the episode underscores misplaced generosity—giving without discerning the moral quality of the act being rewarded.