Valmiki Ramayana 2.118.38: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 118, Shloka 38

अनसूयोपदेशः तथा सीताया स्वयंवरकथा

Anasuya’s Counsel and Sita’s Swayamvara Narrative

Devanagari script

तस्य बुद्धिरियं जाता चिन्तयानस्य सन्ततम्।स्वयंवरं तनूजायाः करिष्यामीति धीमतः।।2.118.38।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.118.38

Transliteration

tasya buddhir iyaṁ jātā cintayānasya santatam | svayaṁvaraṁ tanūjāyāḥ kariṣyāmīti dhīmataḥ || 2.118.38 ||

Translation

Während er unablässig nachdachte, entstand im Geist des weisen Königs dieser Entschluss: „Für meine Tochter werde ich ein Svayaṁvara abhalten.“

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Word by Word

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-समर्थ (pronoun)

• बुद्धिः: thought, idea
• बुद्धिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• इयम्: this
• इयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjectival pronoun) बुद्धिः-विशेषण

• जाता: arose, was born
• जाता: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘जाता’ = ‘उत्पन्ना/अभवत्’

• चिन्तयानस्य: of (him) pondering
• चिन्तयानस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्तय् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), षष्ठी, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; ‘चिन्तयानस्य’ = ‘चिन्तयतः’ (of one who is pondering)

• सन्ततम्: constantly
• सन्ततम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सन्तत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)

• स्वयंवरम्: swayamvara (self-choice marriage ceremony)
• स्वयंवरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयंवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• तनूजायाः: of (his) daughter
• तनूजायाः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• करिष्यामि: I shall perform
• करिष्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्य-समाप्ति/उद्धरण-चिह्न (quotative particle)

• धीमतः: of the wise (man)
• धीमतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; विशेषण (of the wise one) तस्य-सम्बन्ध

Context

After constantly pondering over the matter, the wise king arrived at the decision to perform a swayamvara for his daughter.

Characters & Entities

• Janaka
• Sītā
• svayaṁvara

FAQs

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

When ordinary options fail, dharma seeks a fair and principled procedure—here, svayaṁvara—as a socially valid means to locate true worth.

What is the narrative situation?

Janaka resolves to conduct a svayaṁvara to find an appropriate husband for Sītā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Practical wisdom: choosing an institutionally recognized, merit-testing path rather than forcing an unsuitable match.