Valmiki Ramayana 2.8.3 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 8, Shloka 3

मन्थराकैकेयीसंवादः — Mantharā’s Counsel to Kaikeyī

Ayodhyā’s Succession Alarm

Devanagari script

मनसा प्रहसामि त्वां देवि दुःखार्दिता सती।यच्छोचितव्ये हृष्टाऽसि प्राप्येदं व्यसनं महत्।।2.8.3।।

Transliteration

manasā prahasāmi tvāṃ devi duḥkhārditā satī |

yac chocitavye hṛṣṭā ’si prāpya idaṃ vyasanaṃ mahat ||2.8.3||

Translation

王后啊，我虽为忧苦所逼，心中却暗自嗤笑你：因为在你本该哀恸之时，你竟欢喜雀跃，尽管这场大祸已然降临。

Word by Word

• manasā: in (my) mind
• manasā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• prahasāmi: I laugh
• prahasāmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + has (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद; उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• tvām: at you / you
• tvām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• devi: O queen/lady
• devi: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन, एकवचन; स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• duḥkhārditā: afflicted by grief
• duḥkhārditā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duḥkha + ardita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण; तत्पुरुषः (duḥkhena arditā = afflicted by sorrow)

• satī: though being
• satī: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘being/though being’

• yat: since
• yat: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय (relative: since/whereas)

• śocitavye: when one should grieve
• śocitavye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śuc (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: ‘to be lamented’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘at a time/occasion when one should grieve’

• hṛṣṭā: rejoicing
• hṛṣṭā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hṛṣ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘rejoiced’

• asi: you are
• asi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• prāpya: having obtained
• prāpya: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + āp (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having obtained’

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• vyasanam: misfortune
• vyasanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyasana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• mahat: great
• mahat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

Context

O queen! at a time when this great misfortune has befallen you, you are rejoicinginstead of feeling miserable. I am indeed laughing at you at heart.

Characters & Entities

• Mantharā
• Kaikeyī

FAQs

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

It underscores the need for right discernment (viveka) in moral life: rejoicing at what is framed as another’s success can be portrayed as dangerous when driven by rivalry; dharma requires truthful appraisal rather than reactive emotion.

What is the narrative situation?

At the outset of her provocation, Mantharā rebukes Kaikeyī for being pleased at news that favors Rāma, insisting it is actually a calamity for Kaikeyī’s interests.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse implicitly calls for prudence and discernment; it also displays Mantharā’s skill in psychological pressure rather than virtue.