Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 1, Shloka 40

गुणप्रशंसा–युवराजनिर्णयः

Praise of Rama’s Virtues and the Decision on the Heir-Apparent

Devanagari script

इत्येतैर्विविधैस्तैस्तैरन्यपार्थिवदुर्लभैः।।।।शिष्टैरपरिमेयैश्च लोके लोकोत्तरैर्गुणैः।तं समीक्ष्य महाराजो युक्तं समुदितैश्शुभैः।।।।निश्चित्य सचिवैस्सार्धं युवराजममन्यत।

Transliteration

ity etair vividhais tais tair anyapārthivadurlabhaiḥ | śiṣṭair aparimeyaiś ca loke lokottarair guṇaiḥ | taṃ samīkṣya mahārājo yuktaṃ samuditaiḥ śubhaiḥ | niścitya sacivaiḥ sārdhaṃ yuvarājam amanyata ||

Translation

Thus, having observed him endowed with many kinds of auspicious, praiseworthy, immeasurable virtues—rare among other kings and exceptional in the world—the great king, after deciding together with his ministers, resolved to regard him as Yuvarāja (crown prince).

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक/इत्यादि-निपात (quotative particle)

• एतैः: with these
• एतैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण, पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• विविधैः: various
• विविधैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• तैः: by those
• तैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण, पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• तैः: (each) by those
• तैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुनरुक्ति; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• अन्यपार्थिवदुर्लभैः: rare among other kings
• अन्यपार्थिवदुर्लभैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य + पार्थिव + दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समासः (अन्येषु पार्थिवेषु दुर्लभैः)

• शिष्टैः: praiseworthy
• शिष्टैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; ‘cultured/praiseworthy’

• अपरिमेयैः: immeasurable
• अपरिमेयैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + परिमेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; नञ्-समास/negation

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• लोकोत्तरैः: extraordinary; beyond the world
• लोकोत्तरैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोक + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (लोकात् उत्तरैः/लोकस्य उत्तरैः = beyond worldly)

• गुणैः: with virtues
• गुणैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• समीक्ष्य: having examined
• समीक्ष्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund) with lyap (समीक्ष्य), ‘having observed’

• महाराजः: the great king
• महाराजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् राजा)

• युक्तम्: endowed
• युक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘endowed/connected’ (agreeing with तम्)

• समुदितैः: assembled
• समुदितैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-उद्-इ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; ‘assembled/combined’

• शुभैः: auspicious
• शुभैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• निश्चित्य: having decided
• निश्चित्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-चित् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund) with lyap (निश्चित्य), ‘having decided’

• सचिवैः: with ministers
• सचिवैः: Sahakarana (सहकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सचिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• सार्धम्: together with
• सार्धम्: Sahakarana (सहकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्धम् (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अर्थक अव्यय (adverb/particle) ‘together with’

• युवराजम्: as crown prince
• युवराजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युव + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (युवा राजा) = prince-regent

• अमन्यत: considered/thought
• अमन्यत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

Context

King Dasaratha in consultation with his ministers observed that Rama is endowed with various virtues not found in other kings, immeasurable virtues which are praiseworthy, and exemplary. He is distinguished in this world as all qualities seem to have merged in him. The king then made up his mind to make him prince-regent.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Rāma
• Ministers (Sacivas)

FAQs

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

Rājadharma requires discerning merit and appointing a successor through counsel, not whim—virtue and public good guide the decision.

What is the narrative situation?

After evaluating Rāma’s exceptional qualities, Daśaratha consults ministers and decides to make him crown prince.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s comprehensive excellence (guṇas) and Daśaratha’s adherence to consultative governance.