Valmiki Ramayana 2.102.45: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 102, Shloka 45

पितृमरणश्रवणं जलक्रिया च

Hearing of Daśaratha’s death and the libation rites at Mandākinī

Setting: Ayodhyā (public area/roadside; Rāma seated on bare ground)

Devanagari script

ततस्तं पुरषव्याघ्रं यशस्विनमकल्पषम् ।

आसीनं स्थण्डिले रामं ददर्श सहसा जनः ॥४५॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.102.45

Transliteration

tatas taṃ puruṣa-vyāghraṃ yaśasvinam akalpaṣam |

āsīnaṃ sthaṇḍile rāmaṃ dadarśa sahasā janaḥ ||45||

Translation

Da erblickte das Volk plötzlich Rāma—einen Tiger unter den Menschen, ruhmreich und makellos—wie er auf dem bloßen Boden saß.

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Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अपादानार्थक (thereafter/from then)
• Role: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)

• तम्: him
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; सर्वनाम
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• पुरुषव्याघ्रम्: tiger among men, best of men
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष-व्याघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पुरुषेषु व्याघ्रः = best among men), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; उपाधि/विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• यशस्विनम्: illustrious
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यशस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; विशेषण (तम्/रामम्)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• अकल्पषम्: sinless, spotless
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-कल्पष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नञ्-तत्पुरुष (negation: without sin), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; विशेषण
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• आसीनम्: seated
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आसीन (कृदन्त; √आस् धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (PPP; 'seated'), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; विशेषण (रामम्)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• स्थण्डिले: on bare ground
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थण्डिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)

• रामम्: Rama
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• ददर्श: saw, beheld
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्/परिपूर्णभूत (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• सहसा: suddenly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (suddenly/at once)
• Role: Kriya-vishesana (क्रिया-विशेषण)

• जनः: the people
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग (collective)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

Sandhi Notes

• ततस्तं→ततः तम्

Context

All at once the people saw the illustrious Rama, the best of men, and the subduer of enemies squatting on the bare earth.

The teaching

True nobility is inner purity and steadiness; dharma may require accepting outward loss to uphold truth and filial duty.

Duties in tension

• Kṣatriya-rājadharma (right to rule/protect subjects) vs pitṛ-ājñā-pālana (obedience to father’s command)
• Personal honor vs acceptance of exile for truth of promise

Ethical theme

Pitṛdharma / satya-rakṣaṇa

How it resolves

Renunciatory obedience (pitṛ-vākya-paripālana)

Devotion and practice

Meditate on Rāma’s humility and stainless acceptance; cultivate tyāga and satya in daily choices.

Deity praised

Rāma (as dharma-mūrti)

Form of praise

Vandana (salutation)

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Vira (heroism)

Mood

Piercing, reverent, heartbroken

Themes

• Dharma
• Maryādā
• Humility
• Itihasa
• Pathos

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma

FAQs

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

Rāma’s dharma appears as purity and restraint: though rightful heir, he accepts hardship without defilement of conduct, remaining ‘stainless’ in character.

What is the narrative situation?

The crowd reaches the place and sees Rāma sitting simply on the ground rather than in royal comfort.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Humility and inner purity (akalpaṣatā): greatness expressed through simplicity and self-control.