Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 37, Shloka 29

अयोध्याकाण्डे सर्गः ३७ — चीरधारणं, सीतासंकल्पः, वसिष्ठोपदेशः

Bark-Robe Episode and Vasistha’s Admonition

Devanagari script

न हि तद्भविता राष्ट्रं यत्र रामो न भूपतिः।तद्वनं भविता राष्ट्रं यत्र रामो निवत्स्यति।।2.37.29।।

Transliteration

na hi tadbhavitā rāṣṭraṃ yatra rāmo na bhūpatiḥ | tadvanaṃ bhavitā rāṣṭraṃ yatra rāmo nivatsyati ||

Translation

That land is indeed no kingdom where Rama is not the King; that forest where Rama dwells will become the kingdom.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिṣेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle

• hi: indeed
• hi: Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (indeed)

• tat: that
• tat: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā (Nominative), Ekavacana; qualifies rāṣṭram

• bhavitā: will be
• bhavitā: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ-lakāra (Future), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; irregular future-stem bhavitā (will be/become)

• rāṣṭram: a kingdom
• rāṣṭram: Karta (कर्ता; subject of bhavitā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāṣṭra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā (Nominative), Ekavacana

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa-bodhaka (location marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Relative adverb (where)

• rāmaḥ: Rama
• rāmaḥ: Karta (in relative clause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nominative), Ekavacana

• na: not
• na: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle

• bhūpatiḥ: king
• bhūpatiḥ: Pratijñā/Predicate-noun (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nominative), Ekavacana; predicate noun to rāmaḥ

• tat: that
• tat: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā (Nominative), Ekavacana; qualifies vanam

• vanam: forest
• vanam: Karta (subject of bhavitā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā (Nominative), Ekavacana

• bhavitā: will become
• bhavitā: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ-lakāra (Future), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana

• rāṣṭram: a kingdom
• rāṣṭram: Pratijñā/Predicate-noun (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāṣṭra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā (Nominative), Ekavacana

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa-bodhaka
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Relative adverb (where)

• rāmaḥ: Rama
• rāmaḥ: Karta (in relative clause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• nivatsyati: will dwell
• nivatsyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni + vas (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ-lakāra (Future), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

Context

That is not a kingdom where Rama does not rule. If Rama lives in the forest, that shall be the kingdom.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Kingdom
• Forest

FAQs

What defines a true kingdom according to this verse?

According to this verse, a true kingdom is defined not by its geography or infrastructure, but by the presence of a righteous ruler like Rama.

What is the significance of the forest becoming the kingdom?

It signifies that the essence of the state (Dharma and order) follows the righteous King; thus, even a wilderness becomes a civilized state if Rama resides there.