Valmiki Ramayana 2.109.21 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 109, Shloka 21

सत्यधर्मप्रतिपादनम्

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

Devanagari script

कायेन कुरुते पापं मनसा सम्प्रधार्य तत्।

अनृतं जिह्वया चाह त्रिविधं कर्मपातकम्।।2.109.21।।

Transliteration

kāyena kurute pāpaṁ manasā sampradhārya tat |

anṛtaṁ jihvayā cāha trividhaṁ karma-pātakam ||2.109.21||

Translation

Nachdem man das Böse im Geist erwogen hat, begeht man die Sünde mit dem Körper und spricht dann Unwahrheit mit der Zunge; so wird das Vergehen dreifach: im Denken, im Tun und im Wort.

Word by Word

• कायेन: by the body
• कायेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• कुरुते: does/commits
• कुरुते: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• पापम्: sin/evil
• पापम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• मनसा: by the mind
• मनसा: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सम्प्रधार्य: having deliberated
• सम्प्रधार्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Converb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sam-pra-√dhṛ (धृ धातु) > sampradhārya (कृदन्त/ल्यप्, gerund)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकाल (having considered)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; refers to 'that (sin)'

• अनृतम्: falsehood
• अनृतम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जिह्वया: with the tongue
• जिह्वया: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jihvā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• आह: speaks/utters
• आह: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ah (अह् धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• त्रिविधम्: threefold
• त्रिविधम्: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri-vidha (प्रातिपदिक; components: tri + vidha)
• Form: द्विगु (numerical compound: 'threefold'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; qualifies कर्मपातकम्

• कर्मपातकम्: sinful action
• कर्मपातकम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karma-pātaka (प्रातिपदिक; components: karma + pātaka)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (sinful act); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Context

At first a man conceives an evil idea in his mind, then executes it through evil deed with his body and tells a lie through his tongue. Thus sinful action is three dimensional (mental, physical and vocal).

FAQs

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

Ethical discipline must cover thought, action, and speech; satya requires inner purity, not only outward compliance.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma explains why compromising truth is not a small matter: it spreads across the whole moral personality.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-restraint (saṁyama) across mind, body, and speech.