Valmiki Ramayana 2.4.23: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 4, Shloka 23

अयोध्याकाण्डे चतुर्थः सर्गः · Rāma Summoned; Pushya Coronation Decision

Devanagari script

तस्मात्त्वयाऽद्य प्रभृति निशेयं नियतात्मना ।

सह वध्वोपवस्तव्या दर्भप्रस्तरशायिना ॥२३॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.4.23

Transliteration

tasmāt tvayā ’dya prabhṛti niśeyaṃ niyatātmanā |

saha vadhvopavastavyā darbhaprastaraśāyinā ||23||

Translation

لذلك، فمن هذه الليلة فصاعدًا، بضبطٍ للنفس، ومع زوجتك، عليك أن تلتزم الصوم وأن تنام على فراشٍ مبسوطٍ من عشب الدَّربها.

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Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (हेतुः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tasmāt (अव्यय/तद्-शब्द)
• Form: तस्मात्-निपातवत् (therefore; ablative form used indeclinably)

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Kartr̥ (कर्ता/करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन

• adya: today
• adya: Adhikarana (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय

• prabhṛti: from (now) onward
• prabhṛti: Adhikarana (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prabhṛti (अव्यय)
• Form: आरम्भार्थक-अव्यय (from ... onward)

• niśā: night
• niśā: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niśā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• iyam: this
• iyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; निर्देश-सर्वनाम

• niyatātmanā: with self-restraint
• niyatātmanā: Karana (करणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niyata (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थे (self-restrained), पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; विशेषण (of tvayā)

• saha: together with
• saha: Sahakāraka (सहकारकः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अव्यय (with; governs instrumental)

• vadhvā: with the wife (Sita)
• vadhvā: Sahakāraka (सहकारकः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadhū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन

• upavastavyā: should be spent fasting
• upavastavyā: Karya (कार्य/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-vas (धातु) + tavya (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive: 'to be fasted/observed'), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय (predicate)

• darbhaprastaraśāyinā: sleeping on a darbha-grass bed
• darbhaprastaraśāyinā: Karana (करणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: darbha (प्रातिपदिक) + prastara (प्रातिपदिक) + śāyin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (darbha-prastara = bed of darbha; on that sleeping), पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; विशेषण (of tvayā)

Context

Therefore, you and my daughter-in-law (Sita) should fast tonight and sleep on a bed of darbha or kusha grass with self-restraint.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Rāma
• Sītā
• upavāsa (fasting)

FAQs

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

Dharma is supported by self-discipline and ritual purity: leadership is approached through restraint, not indulgence.

What is the narrative situation?

Preparations for the consecration begin; Daśaratha directs Rāma (and Sītā) to observe vows customary before a royal rite.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s (and Sītā’s) tapas-like self-control—readiness to undertake austerity for a public duty.