Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 37, Shloka 26

अयोध्याकाण्डे सर्गः ३७ — चीरधारणं, सीतासंकल्पः, वसिष्ठोपदेशः

Bark-Robe Episode and Vasistha’s Admonition

Devanagari script

अन्तपालाश्च यास्यन्ति सदारो यत्र राघवः।सहोपजीव्यं राष्ट्रं च पुरं च सपरिच्छदम्।।2.37.26।।

Transliteration

antapālāś ca yāsyanti sadāro yatra rāghavaḥ |

sahopajīvyaṃ rāṣṭraṃ ca puraṃ ca saparicchadam || 2.37.26 ||

Translation

The women’s quarters’ guards too will go wherever Rāghava dwells with his wife; the kingdom that lives by his patronage, and the city as well—together with all their attendants and belongings—will follow.

Word by Word

• antapālāḥ: inner-guards; palace guards
• antapālāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anta-pāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nominative), Bahuvacana; samāsa: anta (inner/quarters) + pāla (guard)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (and)

• yāsyanti: will go
• yāsyanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ-lakāra (Future), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Bahuvacana, Parasmaipada

• sa-dāraḥ: with (his) wife
• sa-dāraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of rāghavaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्ग-सदृश) + dāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nominative), Ekavacana; samāsa: sa- (with) + dāra (wife) = 'with wife'

• yatra: where
• yatra: Deśa-adhikaraṇa-bodhaka (देश/Locative sense marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Relative adverb (where)

• rāghavaḥ: Raghava (Rama)
• rāghavaḥ: Karta (in relative clause) / Ādhāra (reference point)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nominative), Ekavacana

• saha-upajīvyam: together with dependents/retainers
• saha-upajīvyam: Karma (कर्म; item that will go along)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saha (अव्यय) + upajīvya (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-आधारित)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā (contextually as object with implied 'will go': Dvitīyā), Ekavacana; avyayībhāva: saha (together with) + upajīvya (dependents/means of livelihood)

• rāṣṭram: the kingdom
• rāṣṭram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāṣṭra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative), Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Samucchaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (and)

• puram: the city
• puram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative), Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Samucchaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (and)

• sa-paricchadam: with retinue/equipment
• sa-paricchadam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of puram/rāṣṭram as going with retinue)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय) + paricchada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative), Ekavacana; samāsa: sa- (with) + paricchada (equipment/retinue)

Context

The guardians of the harem, its patron king Dasaratha with his retinue and, the people of this city will go wherever Rama lives with his wife.

Characters & Entities

• Rāghava (Rāma)
• rāṣṭra (kingdom)
• pura (city)

FAQs

How does this verse relate to dharma in the Ayodhyā narrative?

It stresses the king’s and prince’s role as the sustaining center of the realm: subjects and institutions are portrayed as bound to the rightful ruler, highlighting rajadharma (the ethical duty of governance and protection).

Where is satya (truth) implied in this verse’s context?

In this episode Kaikeyī presses Daśaratha to keep his pledged boons; the claim that the whole city and kingdom will follow Rāma underscores the binding force of truthful promises and their far-reaching consequences.