Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 109, Shloka 26

सत्यधर्मप्रतिपादनम्

Rama’s Defense of Truth and Dharma in Reply to Jabali

Devanagari script

वनवासं वसन्नेव शुचिर्नियतभोजनः।

मूलपुष्पफलैः पुण्यैः पित्रून् देवांश्च तर्पयन्।।2.109.26।।

सन्तुष्टपञ्चवर्गोऽहं लोकयात्रां प्रवर्तये।

अकुह श्श्रद्धधानस्सन्कार्याकार्यविचक्षणः।।2.109.27।।

Transliteration

vanavāsaṃ vasann eva śucir niyata-bhojanaḥ |

mūlaiḥ puṣpaiḥ phalaiḥ puṇyaiḥ pitṝn devāṃś ca tarpayan || 2.109.26 ||

Translation

Living the life of forest-exile in this manner—pure in conduct and restrained in food—I shall satisfy the ancestors and the gods with sacred offerings of roots, flowers, and fruits.

Word by Word

• वनवासम्: forest-dwelling
• वनवासम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana-vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (वनस्य वासः)

• वसन्: living
• वसन्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Concomitant)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vas (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘living’

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Prakara (प्रकार/Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (manner adverb)

• शुचिः: pure
• शुचिः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuci (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; अहम् इत्यस्य विशेषण

• नियत-भोजनः: with regulated food
• नियत-भोजनः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niyata (प्रातिपदिक) + bhojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (नियतं भोजनं यस्य)

• मूलैः: with roots
• मूलैः: Karana (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन

• पुष्पैः: with flowers
• पुष्पैः: Karana (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन

• फलैः: with fruits
• फलैः: Karana (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन

• पुण्यैः: holy, meritorious
• पुण्यैः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन; मूल-पुष्प-फलैः इति विशेषण

• पितॄन्: ancestors
• पितॄन्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• देवान्: gods
• देवान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• तर्पयन्: propitiating
• तर्पयन्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Concomitant)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tṛp (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘satisfying/propitiating’

• सन्तुष्ट-पञ्चवर्गः: with the group of five (senses) contented
• सन्तुष्ट-पञ्चवर्गः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: santuṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + pañca (संख्या) + varga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (पञ्चानां वर्गः; सन्तुष्टः पञ्चवर्गः यस्य)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• लोक-यात्राम्: course of life, worldly journey
• लोक-यात्राम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक) + yātrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (लोकस्य यात्रा)

• प्रवर्तये: I carry on/maintain
• प्रवर्तये: Kriya (क्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√vṛt (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; causative sense not required here: ‘I carry on/maintain’

• अकुहः: not deceitful, honest
• अकुहः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akuha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; अहम् इत्यस्य विशेषण

• श्रद्धधानः: faithful
• श्रद्धधानः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śraddadhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; अहम् इत्यस्य विशेषण

• सन्: being
• सन्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Concomitant)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘being’

• कार्य-अकार्य-विचक्षणः: discerning right and wrong action
• कार्य-अकार्य-विचक्षणः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक) + akārya (प्रातिपदिक) + vicakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (कार्यं च अकार्यं च) + तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-भाव: ‘विचक्षणः’ तयोः; ‘discerning what should/should not be done’

Context

I shall spend the term of my forest life with faith and holiness and purity of mind andwith regulated food and with ancestors and gods satisfied with offerings of roots, flowers and fruits, with my five senses contented and with a mind that discriminates between what ought to be done and what ought not to be done.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• deva (gods)

FAQs

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

Dharma is shown as disciplined living (purity and regulated food) combined with gratitude and obligation—honouring ancestors and gods through simple, lawful offerings even while in hardship.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma is responding to Jābāli’s persuasive, nāstika-leaning counsel and reasserts that he will live in exile according to dharma, not abandoning ritual and moral duties.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-restraint and steadfastness: Rāma presents a life of moderation, purity, and faithful observance of duties despite exile.