Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 34, Shloka 43

रामदर्शनार्थं दारानयनम्

The Queens Summoned; Rama’s Leave-Taking and Dasaratha’s Collapse

Devanagari script

अहं निदेशं भवतो यथोक्तमनुपालयन्।।।।चतुर्दश समा वत्स्ये वने वनचरैस्सह।

Transliteration

ahaṁ nideśaṁ bhavato yathoktam anupālayan |

caturdaśa samā vatsye vane vanacaraiḥ saha ||

Translation

Obeying your command exactly as it was spoken, I shall dwell in the forest for fourteen years, living among the forest-dwellers.

Word by Word

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

• nideśam: command
• nideśam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nideśa (निदेश) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• bhavataḥ: of you/your
• bhavataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (भवत्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; आदरार्थ-प्रयोग (honorific ‘your’)

• yathā-uktam: as stated
• yathā-uktam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā-ukta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास: यथा + उक्तम्; अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (as said)

• anupālayan: obeying/following
• anupālayan: Karta (कर्ता/Agent-participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√pāl (पाल्) (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले (present active participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि

• caturdaśa: fourteen
• caturdaśa: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturdaśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास/संख्या; अव्ययवत्/अव्यक्त-रूप (indeclinable numeral used adjectivally)

• samāḥ: years
• samāḥ: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण/Duration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samā (समा) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन; कालपरिमाण (duration)

• vatsye: I shall dwell
• vatsye: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vas (वस्) (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Future), आत्मनेपद, उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• vane: in the forest
• vane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (वन) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• vanacaraiḥ: with forest-dwellers
• vanacaraiḥ: Sahakari (सहकारी/Companion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana-cara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: वने चरन्ति इति (उपपद/तत्पुरुष-प्राय); पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• saha: together with
• saha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/association)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक

Context

Do not brood. Bestow the kingdom on Bharata. I do not have any desire for the kingdom or pleasure. Nothing is dearer to me than compliance with your order, O Delight of the Raghu race!

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Daśaratha
• Forest (vana)

FAQs

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

Filial obedience aligned with dharma: Rāma upholds the rightful command and accepts hardship without resentment.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma states his acceptance of the fourteen-year forest exile and affirms he will carry out the king’s directive.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfastness (dhṛti) and obedience to righteous order (ājñā-pālana), central to Rāma’s maryādā.