Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 7, Shloka 9

मन्थराप्रवेशः

Manthara Observes Ayodhya and Incites Kaikeyi

Devanagari script

अतिमात्रप्रहर्षोऽयं किं जनस्य च शंस मे।कारयिष्यति किं वापि सम्प्रहृष्टो महीपतिः।।।।

Transliteration

atimātrapraharṣo 'yaṃ kiṃ janasya ca śaṃsa me |

kārayiṣyati kiṃ vāpi samprahṛṣṭo mahīpatiḥ || 2.7.9 ||

Translation

百姓为何如此过度欢庆？告诉我——这位欣喜的国王打算命人做什么？

Word by Word

• अति-मात्र-प्रहर्षः: excessive joy
• अति-मात्र-प्रहर्षः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अति (अव्यय) + मात्रा (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रहर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (कर्ता) एकवचनम्; समासार्थः: अतिमात्रः प्रहर्षः = 'excessive joy'

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• किम्: why/what
• किम्: Prayojana/Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रश्न (interrogative): 'what/why?'

• जनस्य: of the people
• जनस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध) एकवचनम्

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (conjunction): 'and'

• शंस: tell/declare
• शंस: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शंस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/imperative), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी एकवचनम् (enclitic); here चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान): 'to me'

• कारयिष्यति: will have (something) done
• कारयिष्यति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु) causative √कारय्
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्/Future), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; णिच्-प्रत्यय (causative): 'will cause to be done'

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रश्न: 'what?'

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (disjunctive particle): 'or'

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (particle): 'also/even'

• सम्प्रहृष्टः: delighted
• सम्प्रहृष्टः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-प्र-√हृष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle) पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् महीपतिः प्रति

• महीपतिः: king
• महीपतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (कर्ता) एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: 'lord of the earth'

Context

Why do the people look exceedingly happy? Tell me, what the king with great delight is proposing to do?

Characters & Entities

• Mantharā
• mahīpati (King Daśaratha, by context)
• janāḥ (people)

FAQs

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

The verse points to the dharmic link between king and people: public joy often reflects a righteous royal decision; it also cautions that one should seek truth (satya) through reliable explanation.

What is the narrative situation?

Mantharā presses the attendant for the reason behind the extraordinary happiness in Ayodhyā and asks what the king is planning.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

From the narrative lens, it highlights the importance of truth-seeking (satya-anveṣaṇa) through direct questioning, even though Mantharā’s motives may be self-serving.