Valmiki Ramayana 2.26.23: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 26, Shloka 23

अयोध्याकाण्डे षड्विंशः सर्गः

Rama’s Departure and Sita’s Questions; Disclosure of Exile and Counsel on Courtly Conduct

Devanagari script

चतुर्दश हि वर्षाणि वस्तव्यं दण्डके मया।पित्रा मे भरतश्चापि यौवराज्ये नियोजितः।।।।

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.26.23

Transliteration

caturdaśa hi varṣāṇi vastavyaṃ daṇḍake mayā |

pitrā me bharataś cāpi yauvarājye niyojitaḥ ||

Translation

Vierzehn Jahre muss ich im Dandaka-Wald wohnen; und mein Vater hat Bharata zum Prinzregenten eingesetzt.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• चतुर्दश: fourteen
• चतुर्दश: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्दश (संख्यापद/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; (वर्षाणि) विशेषण

• हि: indeed
• हि: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• वर्षाणि: years
• वर्षाणि: कर्म (Extent/duration as object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; कालपरिमाण (duration)

• वस्तव्यम्: must dwell
• वस्तव्यम्: विधेय (Obligation predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वस् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligative); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि-भावे (it is to be dwelt)

• दण्डके: in Dandaka (forest)
• दण्डके: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्डक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• मया: by me/I
• मया: कर्ता (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया, एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक (agent of obligation)

• पित्रा: by (my) father
• पित्रा: कर्ता (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: सम्बन्ध (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन (enclitic)

• भरतः: Bharata
• भरतः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• अपि: also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Additive particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (also)

• यौवराज्ये: in the heir-apparency
• यौवराज्ये: अधिकरण (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यौवराज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• नियोजितः: was appointed
• नियोजितः: क्रिया-सम्बन्ध (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + √युज् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP, क्त) used predicatively; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भाव (was appointed)

Context

I am to dwell in the Dandaka forest for fourteen years while father has appointed Bharata prince-regent.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā
• Daṇḍaka (forest)
• Daśaratha
• Bharata
• yauvarājya

FAQs

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

Keeping one’s word and accepting rightful outcomes: exile and succession are presented as consequences to be borne without rebellion because they arise from a pledged duty.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma informs Sītā of the two outcomes of Kaikeyī’s demand: his fourteen-year forest exile and Bharata’s installation as regent.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s obedience to paternal authority and steadiness in the face of loss.