Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 24, Shloka 21

कौशल्यारामसंवादः

Kausalya–Rama Dialogue on Exile-Dharma

Devanagari script

भवत्या मम चैवाद्य राजा प्रभवति प्रभुः।न ह्यनाथा वयं राज्ञा लोकनाथेन धीमता।।2.24.21।।

Transliteration

bhavatyā mama caivādya rājā prabhavati prabhuḥ | na hy anāthā vayaṃ rājñā loka-nāthena dhīmatā || 2.24.21 ||

Translation

Der König, mächtig an Befehlsgewalt, hat das Recht, dir wie mir zu gebieten. Solange jener weise Herrscher, der Herr des Volkes, über uns steht, sind wir wahrlich nicht ohne Schutz.

Word by Word

• भवत्या: by/for you
• भवत्या: Saha/Karaṇa (सह/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/सह), एकवचन; आदरार्थ सर्वनाम (honorific 'you')

• मम: of me, my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात

• अद्य: today, now
• अद्य: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• प्रभवति: is able, has authority, prevails
• प्रभवति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान/Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• प्रभुः: lord, master
• प्रभुः: Viśeṣaṇa/Pradhāna (विशेषण/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण/विधेय (predicate: 'is the lord')

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (indeed/for)

• अनाथाः: without a protector
• अनाथाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying वयम्)

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• राज्ञा: by the king
• राज्ञा: Karaṇa/Saha (करण/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/सह), एकवचन

• लोकनाथेन: by the lord of the world
• लोकनाथेन: Karaṇa/Saha (करण/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (लोकस्य नाथः)

• धीमता: by the wise one
• धीमता: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying लोकनाथेन/राज्ञा)

Context

The powerful king has authority over you as well as over me. As long as he is the sagacious lord of the entire world, how can we be without a master?

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Kauśalyā
• Daśaratha (king)

FAQs

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

It affirms rājadharma and household order: legitimate authority (the king/father) binds family members, and duty is performed within that structure rather than by impulsive flight.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma answers Kauśalyā’s wish to follow him by stressing Daśaratha’s continuing authority and the need for her to remain under his care.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s steadiness in dharma—recognizing lawful authority even when it causes personal loss.