Valmiki Ramayana 2.109.24 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 109, Shloka 24

सत्यधर्मप्रतिपादनम्

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

Devanagari script

कथं ह्यहं प्रतिज्ञाय वनवासमिमं गुरॊ:।

भरतस्य करिष्यामि वचो हित्वा गुरोर्वचः।।2.109.24।।

Transliteration

kathaṁ hy ahaṁ pratijñāya vana-vāsam imaṁ guroḥ |

bharatasya kariṣyāmi vaco hitvā guror vacaḥ ||2.109.24||

Translation

Wie könnte ich, nachdem ich vor meinem Vater dieses Leben im Wald gelobt habe, auf Bharatas Bitte eingehen und das Wort meines Vaters beiseitesetzen?

Word by Word

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नाव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधानार्थ/हेतौ (indeed/for)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुषार्थ; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रतिज्ञाय: having vowed
• प्रतिज्ञाय: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-√jñā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having vowed/promised’

• वनवासम्: forest-dwelling, exile in the forest
• वनवासम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana-vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (वनस्य वासः)

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; वनवासम् इति विशेषयति

• गुरोः: of the father/elder (guru)
• गुरोः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• भरतस्य: of Bharata
• भरतस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Related to ‘word’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• करिष्यामि: shall do/shall carry out
• करिष्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• वचः: word, command
• वचः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• हित्वा: having abandoned/disregarded
• हित्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √hā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having abandoned/disregarded’

• गुरोः: of the father/elder
• गुरोः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• वचः: word, command
• वचः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Context

Having sworn before my father that I would live in the forest, how can I act upon Bharata's request in disregard to my father's words?

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Bharata
• Daśaratha (as father/guru)

FAQs

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

Keeping one’s vow and honoring a father’s word is central to dharma; conflicting requests must yield to prior righteous commitment.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata asks Rāma to return; Rāma states that doing so would violate the promise made to Daśaratha regarding exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fidelity to vows (pratijñā-pālana) and filial righteousness.