Valmiki Ramayana 2.14.4: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 4

सत्यपाशः · Kaikeyi’s Demand and the Noose of the King’s Promise

Spoken by Vasistha to Dasharatha

Devanagari script

संश्रुत्य शैब्यश्श्येनाय स्वां तनुं जगतीपतिः ।

प्रदाय पक्षिणे राज न्जगाम गतिमुत्तमाम् ॥४॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.14.4

Transliteration

saṁśrutya śaibyaḥ śyenāya svāṁ tanuṁ jagatīpatiḥ |

pradāya pakṣiṇe rājan jagāma gatim uttamām ||4||

Translation

O König, Śaibya, der Herr der Erde, hielt sein Versprechen, gab dem Falken seinen eigenen Leib hin und erlangte so den höchsten Zustand.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• संश्रुत्य: having promised
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्√श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)
• Role: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)

• शैब्यः: Saibya
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैब्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• श्येनाय: to the hawk
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्येन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), चतुर्थी (Dative/4th), एकवचन
• Role: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)

• स्वाम्: his own
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; तनुम् इति विशेषण
• Role: Karma-anvaya (कर्मान्वय)

• तनुम्: body
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)

• जगती-पतिः: lord of the earth
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगती (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: 'जगत्याः पतिः'); पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• प्रदाय: having given
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)
• Role: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)

• पक्षिणे: to the bird
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), चतुर्थी (Dative/4th), एकवचन; श्येनस्य विशेषण
• Role: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)

• जगाम: went/attained
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• गतिम्: state/goal
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)

• उत्तमाम्: highest
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; गतिम् इति विशेषण
• Role: Karma-anvaya (कर्मान्वय)

Sandhi Notes

• शैब्यश्श्येनाय → शैब्यः श्येनाय
• राज न्जगाम → राजन् जगाम
• गतिमुत्तमाम् → गतिम् उत्तमाम्

Context

O King O lord of the earth (king) Saibya attained the highest state by offering his own body to a hawk in accordance with his promise.

The teaching

When duties collide, the highest resolution is personal sacrifice that preserves truth and compassion without shifting harm onto others.

Duties in tension

• Satya-vrata (keeping one’s promise)
• Dayā/śaraṇāgata-rakṣaṇa (protecting the vulnerable)
• Ahiṃsā vs necessary sacrifice

Ethical theme

Dharma-sankata / satya-dharma

How it resolves

Self-sacrifice (ātma-tyāga) to satisfy competing claims without betraying vow

For your practice

Practice of satya and tyāga—keeping vows, offering ego-comfort for dharma; useful for vrata, dāna, and seva disciplines.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Vira (heroism), with Karuna (compassion)

Mood

Self-sacrificing, austere, exalting

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• PromiseKeeping
• Ethics
• Itihasa

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Śaibya

FAQs

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

Satya (truthfulness) and fidelity to one’s vow: the exemplar teaches that keeping one’s promise—even at great personal cost—is a supreme form of dharma.

What is the narrative situation?

In counsel to the king, an illustrative story is cited: King Śaibya fulfills his pledged word by offering his own body to a hawk.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Integrity (satya-niṣṭhā)—steadfast commitment to one’s word, treated as spiritually elevating and kingly.