Valmiki Ramayana 2.25.45: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 25, Shloka 45

कौशल्याया मङ्गलविधानम् · Kausalya’s Benedictions and Protective Rites for Rama

Spoken by Kaikeyi to RamaSetting: AyodhyaPlaces named: vana (forest), diśaḥ (quarters of space)Departure toward forest-exile (imminent)

Devanagari script

मयाऽर्चिता देवगणाश्शिवादयो महर्षयो भूतमहासुरोरगाः ।

अभिप्रयातस्य वनं चिराय ते हितानि काङ्क्षन्तु दिशश्च राघव ॥४५॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.25.45

Transliteration

mayārcitā devagaṇāḥ śivādayo maharṣayo bhūtamahāsuroragāḥ |

abhiprayātasya vanaṃ cirāya te hitāni kāṅkṣantu diśaś ca rāghava ||45||

Translation

«O Rāghava! Mögen die Scharen der Götter—Śiva und die anderen—zusammen mit den großen ṛṣi, den bhūta, den mächtigen asura, den Schlangen und den Himmelsrichtungen selbst, die ich verehrt habe, lange Zeit dein Heil ersehnen und sichern, während du aufbrichst, um im Wald zu wohnen.»

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Word by Word

• mayā: by me
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Tṛtīyā Ekavacana
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• arcitāḥ: worshipped
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √arc (धातु)
• Form: Kta participle; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana; qualifies devagaṇāḥ etc.
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• deva-gaṇāḥ: hosts of gods
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• śiva-ādayaḥ: Śiva and others
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana; 'Śiva and others' (enumerative)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• maharṣayaḥ: great sages
• Type: Noun
• Root: maharṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• bhūta-mahā-asura-uragāḥ: bhūtas, great asuras, and serpents
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक) + mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + asura (प्रातिपदिक) + uraga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana; samāhāra/enumerative: 'bhūtas, great asuras, and serpents'
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Dvandva

• abhiprayātasya: of you who set out
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √yā (धातु) + abhi-pra- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: Kta participle used as genitive; Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī Ekavacana; 'of you who have set out (to the forest)'
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)

• vanam: to the forest
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakalिङ्ग, Dvitīyā Ekavacana; goal with abhiprayātasya by sense
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• cirāya: for long
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dative used adverbially (cirāya): 'for a long time'
• Role: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)

• te: your
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Ṣaṣṭhī Ekavacana
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)

• hitāni: welfare/good things
• Type: Noun
• Root: hita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakalिङ्ग, Dvitīyā Bahuvacana; object of kāṅkṣantu
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• kāṅkṣantu: may they wish
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kāṅkṣ (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (लोट्, benedictive/imperative sense), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष) Bahuvacana, Parasmaipada
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• diśaḥ: directions/quarters
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

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

• rāghava: O Rāghava
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana Ekavacana
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)

Sandhi Notes

• mayā'rcitā = mayā arcitāḥ
• devagaṇāśśivādayaḥ = deva-gaṇāḥ śiva-ādayaḥ
• bhūtamahāsuroragāḥ treated as dvandva enumeration
• diśaśca = diśaḥ ca

Context

O son of the Raghu race! Lord Siva and other gods, the great rishis, bhutas, great asuras and serpents and four quarters worshipped by me will always promote your welfare when you dwell in the forest.

The teaching

When duty leads into uncertainty, one may rightly seek protection through worship while not abandoning dharma.

Duties in tension

• Maternal anxiety and desire to prevent danger vs commitment to let Rāma fulfill exile-dharma
• Reliance on worldly power vs turning to divine/cosmic guardianship

Ethical theme

Āpad-dharma support through daiva and satya-niṣṭhā

How it resolves

Ritual and prayer (svastyayana/rakṣā) as supportive acceptance

Devotion and practice

Model for protective prayer before travel or difficult duty; cultivating universal goodwill so even feared forces become auspicious.

Deity praised

Śiva (and devagaṇas collectively)

Form of praise

Vandana (salutation)

Mantra

svasti / hitāni kāṅkṣantu (benedictory wish)

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Adbhuta (wonder)

Mood

Supplicatory, cosmic, protective

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Divine protection
• Benediction
• Itihasa
• Ritual worship

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (Rāghava)
• Śiva
• devas (hosts of gods)
• maharṣis (great seers)
• bhūtas
• asuras
• uragas (serpents)
• forest (vana)

FAQs

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

Dharma here appears as protective order: right conduct is supported by ritual responsibility and benediction, expressing the belief that the cosmos (gods, sages, directions) upholds the righteous traveler.

What is the narrative situation?

As Rāma leaves for exile, Kaikeyī invokes blessings from divinities and cosmic powers she has worshipped, asking them to safeguard him for the long duration.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s worthiness to receive universal goodwill—his moral stature that invites protection and auspiciousness.