Ayodhya Kanda Sarga 113 Shloka 10 - Valmiki Ramayana | English | Vedapath

Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 113, Shloka 10

पादुकाप्रदानं भरतस्य निवृत्तिश्च

The Sandals Bestowed; Bharata’s Return Toward Ayodhya

Devanagari script

पितुः प्रतिज्ञां तामेव पालयिष्यामि तत्त्वतः।चतुर्दश हि वर्षाणि या प्रतिज्ञा पितुर्मम।।।।

Transliteration

pituḥ pratijñāṃ tām eva pālayiṣyāmi tattvataḥ | caturdaśa hi varṣāṇi yā pratijñā pitur mama ||

Translation

Truly, I shall uphold that very pledge of my father—namely, the promise of fourteen years.

Word by Word

पितुःof (my) father

प्रतिज्ञाम्promise

ताम्that

एवindeed/only

पालयिष्यामिI shall uphold

तत्त्वतःtruly

चतुर्दशfourteen

हिindeed

वर्षाणिyears

याwhich/that

प्रतिज्ञाpromise

पितुःof (my) father

ममmy

Context

In sooth, I shall honour the words of promise given by my father and live in the forest for fourteen years, as promised.

Characters & Entities

Rāma

Daśaratha

fourteen years (caturdaśa varṣāṇi)

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

Truthfulness and fidelity to a rightful vow: Rāma treats his father’s promise as binding and must be upheld without evasion.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma reaffirms that he will complete the exile-term exactly as Daśaratha had pledged, refusing any shortcut or reversal.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Satya-niṣṭhā (steadfastness in truth) and dharma-niṣṭhā (commitment to righteous obligation).