Valmiki Ramayana 2.18.22: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 18, Shloka 22

अष्टादशः सर्गः

Kaikeyī Discloses the Boons: Exile to Daṇḍaka and Bharata’s Consecration

Devanagari script

एष मह्यं वरं दत्त्वा पुरा मामभिपूज्य च।स पश्चात्तप्यते राजा यथाऽन्यः प्राकृतस्तथा।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.18.22

Transliteration

eṣa mahyaṃ varaṃ dattvā purā mām abhipūjya ca | sa paścāttapyate rājā yathā anyaḥ prākṛtas tathā ||

Translation

এই ৰজাই আগতে মোক পূজা-সন্মান কৰি এটা বৰ দিছিল; এতিয়া পাছত পশ্যাত্তাপ কৰিছে—যেনেকৈ আন এজন সাধাৰণ মানুহ কৰে।

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Word by Word

• eṣaḥ: this (man/king)
• eṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, masculine, nominative singular

• mahyam: to me
• mahyam: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, dative (चतुर्थी) singular

• varam: a boon
• varam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, accusative singular

• dattvā: having given
• dattvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: Gerund/absolutive (क्त्वा), ‘having given’

• purā: formerly
• purā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb of time (कालवाचक)

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, accusative singular

• abhipūjya: having honoured
• abhipūjya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi + pūj (धातु)
• Form: Gerund (ल्यप्), ‘having honoured’

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

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, masculine, nominative singular

• paścāt: afterwards
• paścāt: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paścāt (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb of time

• tapyate: repents / is tormented
• tapyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tap (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person singular, ātmanepada

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, nominative singular; apposition to ‘saḥ’

• yathā: as
• yathā: Upamāna-bodhaka (उपमानसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, comparative particle

• anyaḥ: another (person)
• anyaḥ: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, nominative singular

• prākṛtaḥ: ordinary
• prākṛtaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prākṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, nominative singular; qualifies ‘anyaḥ’

• tathā: so / likewise
• tathā: Upameya-bodhaka (उपमेयसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, correlative particle to ‘yathā’

Context

In the past the king had honoured me with (two) boons. Now like any other common man he is repenting (for the same).

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha (king)
• Rāma

FAQs

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

The verse points to the dharma of kingship: a king’s word should not become like an ordinary person’s wavering regret after granting boons.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī states that Daśaratha once granted her boons with honour, but now he regrets them, setting up her demand as a test of royal truth.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The virtue under scrutiny is satya and steadfastness in rulers; the failure implied is inconsistency after making a binding grant.