Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 109, Shloka 32

सत्यधर्मप्रतिपादनम्

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

Devanagari script

तेनैवमाज्ञाय यथावदर्थमेकोदयं सम्प्रतिपद्य विप्राः।धर्मं चरन्त स्सकलं यथावत्काङ्क्षन्ति लोकागममप्रमत्ताः।।2.109.32।।

Transliteration

tenaivam ājñāya yathāvad artham ekodayaṃ sampratipadya viprāḥ |

dharmaṃ carantaḥ sakalaṃ yathāvat kāṅkṣanti lokāgamaṃ apramattāḥ || 2.109.32 ||

Translation

অতএব ব্রাহ্মণগণ যথাযথ অর্থ জেনে, একমাত্র পরম লক্ষ্য গ্রহণ করে, বিধিমতো সমগ্র ধর্ম আচরণ করেন; তারা সতর্ক থেকে উচ্চতর লোকপ্রাপ্তি কামনা করেন।

Word by Word

• निन्दामि: I blame
• निन्दामि: Kriya (क्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √nind (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कर्म: act/deed
• कर्म: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कृतम्: done
• कृतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म इति विशेषण (‘done’)

• पितुः: of (my) father
• पितुः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Of father)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Demonstrative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म इति विशेषण (‘that’)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of agṛhṇāt)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of agṛhṇāt)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अगृह्णात्: took/accepted
• अगृह्णात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Main verb of relative clause)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √grah (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; ‘took/accepted’

• विषमस्थ-बुद्धिम्: one whose mind is set on a crooked/perilous path
• विषमस्थ-बुद्धिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object complement to tvām: ‘you who are…’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣama-stha (प्रातिपदिक) + buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (विषमे स्थिता बुद्धिः यस्य)

• बुद्ध्या: with (a) mind
• बुद्ध्या: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया, एकवचन

• अनया: by this
• अनया: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया, एकवचन; बुद्ध्या इति विशेषण (‘by this’)

• एवं-विधया: of such a kind
• एवं-विधया: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: evaṃ (अव्यय) + vidhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया, एकवचन; समासः—अव्ययीभाव (एवंविधा = ‘of such a kind’)

• चरन्तम्: practising/following
• चरन्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √car (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; त्वाम् इत्यस्य विशेषण

• सु-नास्तिकम्: a great atheist
• सु-नास्तिकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + nāstika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (सु + नास्तिकः = ‘thorough atheist’)

• धर्म-पथात्: from the path of dharma
• धर्म-पथात्: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative: from)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + patha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (धर्मस्य पथः)

• अपेतम्: departed/strayed away
• अपेतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apa-√i (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; त्वाम् इत्यस्य विशेषण (‘departed/strayed’)

Context

Therefore, brahmins who have rightly understood the meaning of righteousness and adopt, with unmost care, the righteous ways as laid down in the scriptures seek attainment of higher positions.

Characters & Entities

• vipra (brahmins)

FAQs

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

Dharma must be understood correctly and practised completely with vigilance (apramāda); negligence in duty undermines spiritual progress.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma appeals to the model of disciplined brahmin practice to validate dharma as coherent, purposeful, and aimed at higher attainment.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfast diligence: the verse praises careful, comprehensive adherence to righteous conduct.