Valmiki Ramayana 2.108.18: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 108, Shloka 18

जाबाल्युपदेशः

Jabali’s Pragmatic Counsel to Rama

Devanagari script

सतां बुद्धिं पुरस्कृत्य सर्वलोकनिदर्शिनीम्।राज्यं त्वं प्रतिगृह्णीष्व भरतेन प्रसादितः।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.108.18

Transliteration

satāṁ buddhiṁ puraskṛtya sarvalokanidarśinīm |

rājyaṁ tvaṁ pratigṛhṇīṣva bharatena prasāditaḥ ||

Translation

Ehre das Urteil der Weisen und Frommen—ein Vorbild für alle Welt—und nimm das Reich an, erfreut über Bharatas Angebot.

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Word by Word

• satām: of the wise
• satām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Bahuvacana; ‘of the good/wise’

• buddhim: judgment
• buddhim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Vitīyā, Ekavacana

• puraskṛtya: having honoured/keeping foremost
• puraskṛtya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: puras-kṛ (धातु) + lyap (कृत्)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्), ‘having placed in front/honouring’

• sarva-loka-nidarśinīm: serving as an example to all
• sarva-loka-nidarśinīm: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva + loka + nidarśinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Vitīyā, Ekavacana; agrees with buddhim; तत्पुरुषः: sarveṣāṃ lokānāṃ nidarśinī (an example for all worlds/people)

• rājyam: the kingdom
• rājyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Vitīyā, Ekavacana

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Prathamā, Ekavacana

• pratigṛhṇīṣva: accept
• pratigṛhṇīṣva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-grah (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (imperative), Ātmanepada, Madhyama-puruṣa, Ekavacana

• bharatena: by Bharata
• bharatena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana

• prasāditaḥ: being pleased (by him)
• prasāditaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-sad (धातु) + ṇic? (causative sense) + kta (कृत्) / prasādita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Kta-participle, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; ‘pleased/propitiated’ (agreeing with tvam implied)

Context

A man who goes from one village to another takes rest somewhere on the way and the next day leaves the place and proceeds on his journey. Similarly, father, mother, home and wealth are restingplaces to a man. The wise do not get attached to them, O descendant the Kakutsthas

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Kingdom (rājya)

FAQs

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

It frames dharma as alignment with the counsel of the wise and with public exemplarity (maryādā): the ruler’s choice becomes a model for society.

What is the narrative situation?

At the end of Sarga 108, Bharata urges Rāma to accept kingship, presenting it as the wise and socially exemplary course.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Respect for wise counsel and commitment to public duty—acting in a way that guides the wider world.