Valmiki Ramayana 2.9.66 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 9, Shloka 66

मन्थराप्रेरणा—वरद्वय-स्मरणं च

Manthara’s Provocation and the Recalling of Two Boons

Devanagari script

उदीर्णसंरम्भतमोवृताननातथाऽवमुक्तोत्तममाल्यभूषणा।नरेन्द्रपत्नी विमना बभूव सातमोवृता द्यौरिव मग्नतारका।।।।

Transliteration

udīrṇa-saṅrambha-tamo-vṛtānanā tathā ’vamukta-uttama-mālya-bhūṣaṇā |

narendra-patnī vimanā babhūva sā tamo-vṛtā dyaur iva magna-tārakā ||

Translation

于是王后凯凯伊——面容被汹涌怒意的黑暗所遮蔽，最上等的花鬘与饰物也尽皆抛却——心神忧乱，如同阴翳覆天，群星沉没不见。

Word by Word

• udīrṇa-saṃrambha-tamaḥ-vṛta-ānanā: whose face was veiled by the darkness of intense anger
• udīrṇa-saṃrambha-tamaḥ-vṛta-ānanā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: udīrṇa + saṃrambha + tamaḥ + vṛta + ānana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi (बहुव्रीहि) ‘she whose face is covered with darkness of risen fury’; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tathā: thus/also
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (प्रकारवाचक अव्यय)

• avamukta-uttama-mālya-bhūṣaṇā: having cast off her finest garlands and ornaments
• avamukta-uttama-mālya-bhūṣaṇā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avamukta + uttama + mālya + bhūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi (बहुव्रीहि) ‘she whose excellent garlands and ornaments were cast off’; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• narendra-patnī: the king’s wife
• narendra-patnī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: narendra + patnī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘king’s wife’; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• vimanā: dejected/distressed
• vimanā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• babhūva: became
• babhūva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Demonstrative pronoun; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tamaḥ-vṛtā: covered in darkness
• tamaḥ-vṛtā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tamaḥ + vṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘covered by darkness’; Past passive participle (क्त) used adjectivally; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies dyauḥ (upamāna)

• dyauḥ: the sky
• dyauḥ: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• iva: like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Simile particle (उपमार्थक अव्यय)

• magna-tārakā: with stars sunk/vanished
• magna-tārakā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: magna + tārakā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi (बहुव्रीहि) ‘whose stars have sunk/vanished’; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies dyauḥ

Context

Thus queen Kaikeyi's face enveloped by the darkness of violent anger and her body stripped of all valuable ornaments, she lay restless, looking like the dark sky without stars.ইত্যার্ষে শ্রীমদ্রামাযণে বাল্মীকীয আদিকাব্যে অযোধ্যাকাণ্ডে নবমস্সর্গঃ৷৷Thus ends of the ninth sarga of Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī

FAQs

How does this verse relate to Dharma in the Ayodhya Kāṇḍa narrative?

It portrays Kaikeyī’s inner fall into anger and darkness, a state that leads her away from dharmic restraint and toward actions that disrupt righteous order in Ayodhyā.

Where is Satya (truth) implied in this verse?

Satya is implied by contrast: the image of darkness and starless sky signals loss of clarity and right discernment, foreshadowing choices made under passion rather than truthful, steady judgment.