Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 109, Shloka 29

सत्यधर्मप्रतिपादनम्

Rama’s Defense of Truth and Dharma in Reply to Jabali

Devanagari script

शतं क्रतूनामाहृत्य देवराट् त्रिदिवं गतः।तपांस्युग्राणि चास्थाय दिवं याता महर्षयः।।2.109.29।।

Transliteration

śataṃ kratūnām āhṛtya devarāṭ tridivaṃ gataḥ |

tapāṃsy ugrāṇi cāsthāya divaṃ yātā maharṣayaḥ || 2.109.29 ||

Translation

শত যজ্ঞ সম্পন্ন করে দেবরাজ স্বর্গে গমন করেছিলেন; আর মহর্ষিগণও কঠোর তপস্যা অবলম্বন করে দিব্যলোকে পৌঁছেছিলেন।

Word by Word

• अमृष्यमाणः: unable to endure
• अमृष्यमाणः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Concomitant)
• Type: Verb
• Root: a-√mṛṣ (धातु)
• Form: शानच्-वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present middle participle), पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘not enduring’

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Prakara (प्रकार/Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्तिवाचक अव्यय (adverb: again)

• उग्र-तेजाः: one of fierce energy
• उग्र-तेजाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ugra (प्रातिपदिक) + tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (उग्रं तेजः यस्य/उग्रतेजस्)

• निशम्य: having heard
• निशम्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√śam (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having heard’

• तम्: him/that
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of niśamya/abravīt)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• नास्तिक-वाक्य-हेतुम्: the reason/cause expressed in atheistic words
• नास्तिक-वाक्य-हेतुम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of niśamya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāstika (प्रातिपदिक) + vākya (प्रातिपदिक) + hetu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (नास्तिकस्य वाक्यं; तस्य हेतुः)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक निपात (then/thereupon)

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• तम्: to him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of abravīt)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• नृपतेः: of the king
• नृपतेः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Of the king)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, एकवचन

• तनूजः: son
• तनूजः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tanūja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विगर्हमाणः: censuring
• विगर्हमाणः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Concomitant)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√garh (धातु)
• Form: शानच्-वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present middle participle), पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘censuring/disdaining’

• वचनानि: words
• वचनानि: Karma (कर्म/Object of abravīt)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/His)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, एकवचन

Context

After performing a hundred sacrifices, king of the gods (Indra) obtained (dominion over) heaven. Great sages attained heaven after resorting to intense mortifications.

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Devarāṭ)
• maharṣi (great sages)
• tridiva (heaven)

FAQs

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

The verse reinforces karma-phala: righteous sacrifice and disciplined austerity are presented as valid means to higher attainment, countering nihilism or denial of moral consequence.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma cites exemplars—Indra through sacrifice and sages through tapas—to support the traditional moral-religious framework against Jābāli’s irreligious reasoning.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Respect for tradition and spiritual effort: Rāma upholds sacrifice and austerity as meaningful, purposeful disciplines.