Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 19, Shloka 11

एकोनविंशः सर्गः (Sarga 19): Rāma’s Unshaken Acceptance of Exile and Kaikeyī’s Urgency

Devanagari script

दण्डकारण्यमेषोऽहमितो गच्छामि सत्वरः।अविचार्य पितुर्वाक्यं समा वस्तुं चतुर्दश।।2.19.11।।

Transliteration

daṇḍakāraṇyam eṣo 'ham ito gacchāmi satvaraḥ |

avicārya pitur vākyaṃ samā vastuṃ caturdaśa || 2.19.11 ||

Translation

As for me, I will depart from here at once to the Daṇḍaka forest, without debating my father’s word, to dwell there for fourteen years.

Word by Word

• दण्डकारण्यम्: to the Dandaka forest
• दण्डकारण्यम्: Karma (कर्म/गन्तव्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्डक + अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः दण्डकानाम् अरण्यम्/दण्डक-अरण्यम् (प्रसिद्ध-देशवाचक)

• एषः: this (one)
• एषः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

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

• इतः: from here
• इतः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: itas (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘from here’)

• गच्छामि: I go
• गच्छामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सत्वरः: in haste
• सत्वरः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: satvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (hastening)

• अविचार्य: without considering
• अविचार्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अ-वि-चार् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having not deliberated’

• पितुः: of (my) father
• पितुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• वाक्यम्: word/command
• वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समाः: years
• समाः: Karma (कर्म/परिमाण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वस्तुम्: to live
• वस्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), ‘to dwell/live’

• चतुर्दश: fourteen
• चतुर्दश: Visheshana (विशेषण/परिमाण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या-शब्दः; द्विगु-समासः (14); समासान्त-रहित, परिमाणवाचक विशेषण

Context

As for me, without deliberating on the propriety of my father's orders, I shall go from here at once to Dandaka forest to live (there) for fourteen years.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Daśaratha (implied as 'father')
• Daṇḍaka forest

FAQs

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

Satya to a father’s word and dharma of filial duty: Rāma treats the king’s promise/command as binding, choosing integrity over personal gain.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma responds to the exile demand by immediately consenting to go to the forest for fourteen years.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Satya-niṣṭhā and tyāga (devotion to truth and self-sacrifice): immediate willingness to renounce the kingdom.