Valmiki Ramayana 2.2.9 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 2, Shloka 9

यौवराज्य-प्रस्तावः

Proposal for Rāma’s Installation as Heir-Apparent

Devanagari script

राजप्रभावजुष्टां हि दुर्वहामजितेन्द्रियैः।परिश्रान्तोऽस्मि लोकस्य गुर्वीं धर्मधुरं वहन्।।2.2.9।।

Transliteration

rāja-prabhāva-juṣṭāṃ hi durvahām ajitendriyaiḥ | pariśrānto 'smi lokasya gurvīṃ dharma-dhuraṃ vahan || 2.2.9 ||

Translation

অজিতেন্দ্রিয় লোকদের পক্ষে রাজপ্রভাবযুক্ত লোকশাসনের এই গুরু ধর্মধুরা বহন করা দুঃসহ; তা বহন করতে করতে আমি ক্লান্ত হয়ে পড়েছি।

Word by Word

• rāja-prabhāva-juṣṭām: attended by royal power
• rāja-prabhāva-juṣṭām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of dharmadhuram
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rāja (प्रातिपदिक) + prabhāva (प्रातिपदिक) + juṣṭa (√juṣ् + क्त)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); compound qualifying dharmadhuram: 'endowed/attended by royal power'

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis/indeed

• durvahām: hard to bear
• durvahām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur (दुर् उपसर्ग) + vah (वह् धातु) + aṇīyar/khac? (lexical adj. durvahā)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying dharmadhuram

• ajitendriyaiḥ: by the uncontrolled (in senses)
• ajitendriyaiḥ: Karta (कर्ता) in instrumental (agent) / Sahakāraka
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-jita (प्रातिपदिक) + indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन); bahuvrīhi: 'those whose senses are unconquered'

• pariśrāntaḥ: weary
• pariśrāntaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate of 'I')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari-śram (परि + श्रम् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); predicate with asmi

• asmi: I am
• asmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस् धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), First person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• lokasya: of the world
• lokasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• gurvīm: heavy
• gurvīm: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying dhuram

• dharma-dhuram: the burden of duty
• dharma-dhuram: Karma (कर्म) of vahan
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + dhurā/dhura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: 'burden of dharma/duty'

• vahan: carrying
• vahan: Karta (कर्ता) (agent carrying)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vah (वह् धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: Present active participle (वर्तमानकाले शतृ-कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); agreeing with implicit 'aham'

Context

I am weary of carrying on the heavy burden of duty and find it difficult to sustain the rule of dharma. It can be shouldered by those who have royal qualities (of might, courage etc) and not by those who have not controlled their senses.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• dharma (as royal duty)

FAQs

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

Rajadharma requires mastery over the senses; without self-control, power becomes difficult to wield righteously, and duty becomes an unbearable burden.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha explains why he wishes to step back from rule: the responsibilities of dharmic kingship are weighty and demand inner discipline.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sense-control (indriya-jaya) as a prerequisite for ethical leadership, alongside honesty about one’s waning strength.