Valmiki Ramayana 2.32.23: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 32, Shloka 23

द्वात्रिंशस्सर्गः · Gifts to Suyajna and the Brahmins; Trijata’s Petition and Rama’s Charity

Setting: Ayodhyā palace precinctsPlaces named: Ayodhyā

Devanagari script

तत स्सपुरुषव्याघ्रस्तद्धनं लक्ष्मणः स्वयम् ॥२३॥

यथोक्तं ब्राह्मणेन्द्राणांमददाद्धनदो यथा ।

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.32.23

Transliteration

tataḥ sa puruṣavyāghras tad dhanaṃ lakṣmaṇaḥ svayam ||23||

yathoktaṃ brāhmaṇendrāṇāṃ dadād dhanado yathā |

Translation

Da gab Lakṣmaṇa, ein Tiger unter den Menschen, jenes Vermögen eigenhändig den vornehmsten Brāhmaṇas, genau wie befohlen, als ob Kubera selbst Reichtum spendete.

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Word by Word

• ततः: thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/क्रमवाचक अव्यय (adverb: "then, thereafter")
• Role: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Temporal)

• सः: he
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)

• पुरुषव्याघ्रः: tiger among men, best of men
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa + vyāghra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ("पुरुषाणां व्याघ्रः" = tiger among men)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-apposition)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• तत्: that
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम; विशेषण (धनम्)
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)

• धनम्: wealth
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)

• लक्ष्मणः: Lakshmana
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)

• स्वयम्: personally
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: स्वयम्-शब्दः (indeclinable: "personally")
• Role: Karta-viseshana (कर्तृविशेषण/Emphatic)

• यथोक्तम्: as instructed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā + ukta (कृदन्त)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययरूपेण (adverbial: "as said/according to what was said")
• Role: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Compound: Avyayibhava

• ब्राह्मणेन्द्राणाम्: of the foremost brahmins (to the best brahmins)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ("ब्राह्मणानाम् इन्द्राः" = best among brahmins)
• Role: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• अददात्: gave
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)

• धनदः: the wealth-giver (Kubera)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपमान/उपमेय-निर्देश (Kubera epithet)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-apposition)

• यथा: like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक अव्यय ("like")
• Role: Upamana (उपमान/Simile-marker)

Sandhi Notes

• ततस्स = ततः + सः
• पुरुषव्याघ्रस्तद्धनं = पुरुषव्याघ्रः + तत् + धनम्
• यथोक्तं = यथा + उक्तम्
• ब्राह्मणेन्द्राणामददात् = ब्राह्मणेन्द्राणाम् + अददात्
• अददाद्धनदो = अददात् + धनदः

Context

Thereupon Lakshmana, a tiger among men, personally distributed like Kubera, gifts of riches to all those Indras among brahmins (best of brahmins) in accordance with the instructions of Rama.

The teaching

Execute dharmic instructions precisely; generosity gains strength when joined to discipline and humility.

Ethical theme

Ācāra / dāna

For your practice

Model for sevā: carrying out a righteous elder’s command without ego; dāna as purification before austerity.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Vira (heroism), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Resolute, generous, disciplined

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Maryada
• Ethics
• Dāna
• Sevā
• Ājñā-pālana (obedience)

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• brāhmaṇas
• Kubera (Dhanada)

FAQs

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

Dharma is faithful execution of righteous instruction—charity (dāna) done correctly, to worthy recipients, and in accordance with a moral command.

What is the narrative situation?

Following Rāma’s directions, Lakṣmaṇa distributes wealth to eminent brāhmaṇas, ensuring the giving is orderly and proper.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Lakṣmaṇa’s obedience, diligence, and generosity—he does not delegate but gives personally.