Valmiki Ramayana 2.2.11 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 2, Shloka 11

यौवराज्य-प्रस्तावः

Proposal for Rāma’s Installation as Heir-Apparent

Devanagari script

अनुजातो हि मां सर्वैर्गुणैर्ज्येष्ठो ममात्मजः।पुरन्दरसमो वीर्ये रामः परपुरञ्जयः।।2.2.11।।

Transliteration

anujāto hi māṃ sarvair guṇair jyeṣṭho mamātmajaḥ | purandara-samo vīrye rāmaḥ para-puraṃ-jayaḥ || 2.2.11 ||

Translation

Wahrlich, mein ältester Sohn Rāma hat alle meine Tugenden geerbt; an Kraft und Tapferkeit ist er Purandara (Indra) gleich, der Bezwinger feindlicher Städte.

Word by Word

• anujātaḥ: born after; inherited
• anujātaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anu-jan (अनु + जन् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); predicate describing rāmaḥ/ātmajaḥ

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha-bodhaka (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), indeed

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म) / reference object with anujātaḥ ('like me')
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: First person pronoun, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• sarvaiḥ: with all
• sarvaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifying guṇaiḥ

• guṇaiḥ: virtues
• guṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण) / respect of qualities
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन)

• jyeṣṭhaḥ: eldest
• jyeṣṭhaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jyeṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying ātmajaḥ

• mama: my
• mama: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: First person pronoun, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• ātmajaḥ: son
• ātmajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (apposition to rāmaḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātmaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• purandara-samaḥ: equal to Indra
• purandara-samaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of rāmaḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: purandara (प्रातिपदिक) + sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंlिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: 'equal to Purandara (Indra)'

• vīrye: in prowess
• vīrye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) (sphere: in prowess)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन)

• rāmaḥ: Rama
• rāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• para-puraṃjayaḥ: conqueror of enemy cities
• para-puraṃjayaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of rāmaḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + puraṃjaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: 'conqueror of enemy cities'

Context

My eldest son Rama, inheriting every virtue of mine, is a conqueror of enemy cities and is equal to Indra in prowess.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Rāma
• Purandara (Indra)

FAQs

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

Legitimate rule should rest on merit and virtue; a successor is praised not by birth alone but by guṇa (qualities) and capability.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha justifies his succession plan by describing Rāma’s virtues and martial strength.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s excellence in virtues and heroic prowess, fitting him for leadership.