Shloka 9

रामायणकथासंक्षेपः — ब्रह्मोक्तो रामावतारवृत्तान्तः

Devanagari script

गतयोर्नृपवर्यो ऽसौ राज्यं दातुं समुद्यतः / स रामाय तत्पुत्राय कैकेय्या प्रार्थितस्तदा

Transliteration

gatayornṛpavaryo 'sau rājyaṃ dātuṃ samudyataḥ / sa rāmāya tatputrāya kaikeyyā prārthitastadā

Translation

لمّا حانَ الأوان، كان ذلك الملكُ الفاضلُ عازمًا أن يسلّم المُلكَ لراما ابنه؛ غير أنّ كايكَيِي في تلك الساعة رفعت إليه التماسَها.

Word by Word

• gatayoḥ: of the two who had gone
• gatayoḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past passive participle) from √gam, पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी, द्विवचन; here genitive dual ‘of the two who had gone’

• nṛpavaryaḥ: the best of kings
• nṛpavaryaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक) + varya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (श्रेष्ठो नृपः)

• asau: that (king)
• asau: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asau (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• rājyam: the kingdom
• rājyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• dātum: to give
• dātum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), अव्ययभाव

• samudyataḥ: ready/intent
• samudyataḥ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-yam (धातु) + सम्- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त (Past passive participle) used adjectivally, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• rāmāya: to Rāma
• rāmāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• tatputrāya: to his son
• tatputrāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘his son’)

• kaikeyyā: by Kaikeyī
• kaikeyyā: Kartr-karana (Agent in passive/कर्तृ-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaikeyī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• prārthitaḥ: was requested
• prārthitaḥ: Kriya (Passive predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arth (धातु) + प्र- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; passive sense

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Rājadharma and satya-vrata under pressure: kingship decisions bound by promises and ethical constraints.

Vedantic Theme: Anityatā of worldly power; dharma as higher than personal preference; līlā unfolding through moral trials.

Application: Be cautious with promises; uphold integrity even when outcomes are painful; recognize volatility of status and plan ethically.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: royal assembly

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.143 (coronation intention and Kaikeyī’s request)

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Kaikeyi
• King (Daśaratha implied)

FAQs

What is the importance of vows and requests in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights how a king’s intended righteous act (handing over the kingdom) can be redirected by a binding request, underscoring the dharmic weight of promises and appeals within family and royal duty.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana context?

Indirectly, it frames dharma as the driver of destiny: choices made under obligation and promise shape karmic outcomes, which the Garuda Purana later connects to post-death consequences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Be careful with commitments and requests—make promises only after reflection, and honor ethical responsibility even when circumstances become complicated.