Valmiki Ramayana 2.119.17 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 119, Shloka 17

अनसूयाप्रीतिदानम्

Anasūyā’s Blessing and the Forest Path

Devanagari script

तस्यां रात्र्यां व्यतीतायामभिषिच्य हुताग्निकान्।आपृच्छेतां नरव्याघ्रौ तापसान्वनगोचरान्।।।।

Transliteration

tasyāṁ rātryāṁ vyatītāyām abhiṣicya hutāgnikān | āpṛcchetāṁ naravyāghrau tāpasān vanagocarān ||

Translation

Als jene Nacht vorüber war, nahmen die beiden Männer, wie Tiger unter den Menschen, nach dem Bad Abschied von den im Wald lebenden Asketen, die ihre Opfergaben dem heiligen Feuer dargebracht hatten.

Word by Word

• tasyām: in that
• tasyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• rātryām: night
• rātryām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rātri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• vyatītāyām: having passed
• vyatītāyām: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-ati-√i (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute): 'when (the night) had passed'

• abhiṣicya: having bathed
• abhiṣicya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√sic (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्यय-प्रयोग; 'having bathed/washed (themselves)'

• hutāgnikān: those who had performed fire-offerings
• hutāgnikān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: huta (प्रातिपदिक) + agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः: 'those who have offered (oblations) in fire'

• āpṛcchetām: took leave/asked permission
• āpṛcchetām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√prach (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), द्विवचन (dual)

• naravyāghrau: the two tiger-like men
• naravyāghrau: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक) + vyāghra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; कर्मधारयः: 'tiger-like men' (two heroes)

• tāpasān: ascetics
• tāpasān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāpasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• vanagocarān: forest-dwelling
• vanagocarān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदik) + gocara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः: vane gocaraḥ = 'moving/living in the forest'

Context

Night over, the two best men, Rama and Lakshmana, after their ablution took leave of the ascetics inhabiting the forest who offered morning oblations to the fire .

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma is daily discipline and courtesy: purification (bath), respect to sacred rites, and proper leave-taking from those who supported them.

What is the narrative situation?

At dawn, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa bathe and bid farewell to the ascetics after their morning rites.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa’s disciplined conduct and reverence for ascetic practice.