Valmiki Ramayana 2.1.21: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 1, Shloka 21

गुणप्रशंसा-युवराजनिर्णयः

Praise of Rama’s Virtues and the Decision on the Heir-Apparent

Devanagari script

कल्याणाभिजन स्साधुरदीन स्सत्यवागृजुः ।

वृद्धैरभिविनीतश्च द्विजैर्धर्मार्थदर्शिभिः ॥२१॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.1.21

Transliteration

kalyāṇābhijanaḥ sādhuḥ adīnaḥ satyavāg ṛjuḥ |

vṛddhair abhivinītaś ca dvijair dharmārtha-darśibhiḥ ||21||

Translation

Aus edler Herkunft geboren, war er gut und niemals kleinmütig; wahrhaftig in der Rede und gerade im Wandel. Von betagten Brahmanen, die Dharma und Artha erkannten, wurde er wohl erzogen und gezügelt.

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Word by Word

• kalyāṇa-abhijanaḥ: of noble lineage
• kalyāṇa-abhijanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kalyāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + abhijana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मधारय ‘कल्याणः अभिजनः’ (noble lineage); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• sādhuḥ: virtuous
• sādhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sādhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘virtuous’

• adīnaḥ: not mean-spirited
• adīnaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-dīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘not mean/ not dejected’

• satya-vāk: truth-speaking
• satya-vāk: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक) + vāc (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (कर्मधारय-प्रायः) ‘सत्यं वाक् यस्य/सत्यवाक्’; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (ending -vāk, stem vāc)

• ṛjuḥ: upright
• ṛjuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṛju (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘straight/rectitudinous’

• vṛddhaiḥ: by elders
• vṛddhaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛddha (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; ‘by elders’

• abhivinītaḥ: well-disciplined
• abhivinītaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhi-vi-nī (धातु) + vinīta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘well-disciplined/trained’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• dvijaiḥ: by brahmins
• dvijaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; ‘by brahmins’

• dharma-artha-darśibhiḥ: by those versed in dharma and artha
• dharma-artha-darśibhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + dṛś (धातु)→darśin (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: द्वन्द्व (धर्म + अर्थ) + darśin; पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; ‘by those who see/know dharma and artha’

Context

Born in a family of noble descent, he was saintly. A man without meanness.He was truthful and a man of rectitude. The training he received under aged brahmins conversant with dharma and artha made him well-disciplined.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma

FAQs

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

Truthfulness and rectitude are presented as learned disciplines: dharma is cultivated through guidance by elders who balance moral law (dharma) with practical governance (artha).

What is the narrative situation?

The text strengthens Rāma’s moral profile by linking his virtues to proper upbringing and instruction.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Satya (truthful speech) and ṛjutā (uprightness), reinforced by disciplined training.