Valmiki Ramayana 2.19.4: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 19, Shloka 4

एकोनविंशः सर्गः (Sarga 19): Rāma’s Unshaken Acceptance of Exile and Kaikeyī’s Urgency

Spoken by Rama to KausalyaSetting: Ayodhya palace (Kaushalya’s quarters)Places named: Ayodhya, forest (vana)Decision point before departure to forest

Devanagari script

मन्युर्न च त्वया कार्यो देवि ब्रूमि तवाग्रतः ।

यास्यामि भव सुप्रीता वनं चीरजटाधरः ॥४॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.19.4

Transliteration

manyur na ca tvayā kāryo devi brūmi tavāgrataḥ |

yāsyāmi bhava suprītā vanaṃ cīra-jaṭā-dharaḥ ||4||

Translation

„O Devī, du sollst weder dem Zorn noch dem Kummer nachgeben. Vor dir erkläre ich: Ich werde in den Wald gehen, in Rindenkleidern und mit verfilzten Haarflechten. Sei in Frieden.“

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Word by Word

• मन्युः: anger
• Type: Noun
• Root: manyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negative particle
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• त्वया: by you
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuzmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Tṛtīyā, Eka-vacana
• Role: Karana (करण)

• कार्यः: to be done; should be done
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana; predicate adjective with implied ‘asti’; ‘to be done/should be done’
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• देवि: O lady
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Sambodhana, Eka-vacana
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)

• ब्रूमि: I say
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra, Parasmaipada, Uttama-puruṣa, Eka-vacana
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• तव: your
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuzmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Ṣaṣṭhī, Eka-vacana
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)

• अग्रतः: in front (of)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: agratas (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (स्थानवाचक अव्यय)
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)

• यास्यामि: I shall go
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ-lakāra (periphrastic future), Parasmaipada, Uttama-puruṣa, Eka-vacana
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• भव: be
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (imperative), Parasmaipada, Madhyama-puruṣa, Eka-vacana
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• सुप्रीता: well-pleased; satisfied
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su-prīta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya; Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana; predicate adjective addressing देवी (understood)
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• वनम्: to the forest
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Eka-vacana
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• चीरजटाधरः: wearing bark-cloth and matted hair
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cīra + jaṭā + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound ‘wearing bark-garments and matted locks’; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana; adjective of अहम् (understood)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

Sandhi Notes

• तवाग्रतः = तव + अग्रतः

Context

O Devi! you should not grieve. I declare in your presence that I shall go to the forest wearing tattered clothes (bark) and matted locks. Rejoice (to hear this).

The teaching

Do not let anger govern the heart; accept hardship for the sake of dharma, and soothe others through truthful, steady speech.

Duties in tension

• Mother’s protective love and grief vs son’s duty to obey royal command and uphold truth
• Householder comfort vs ascetic hardship for dharma

Ethical theme

Filial duty, obedience, and anger-restraint

How it resolves

Filial obedience and dharma-priority with compassionate reassurance

For your practice

A practical vow: restrain anger, accept necessary hardship without resentment, and speak truthfully to calm the distressed.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Vira (heroism)

Mood

Consoling, resolute, austere

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Maryada
• Ethics

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Kauśalyā
• forest (vana)
• bark-cloth (cīra)
• matted locks (jaṭā)

FAQs

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

Dharma and satya are upheld through willing acceptance of hardship for a righteous commitment; Rāma prioritizes duty over comfort.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma speaks to his mother, preparing her to accept his imminent departure to the forest and the ascetic signs he will adopt.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Truthfulness and composure: Rāma reassures his mother while firmly committing to the path of duty.