Ramayana — 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।।।।

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.

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.