Valmiki Ramayana 2.32.38 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 32, Shloka 38

द्वात्रिंशस्सर्गः

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

Devanagari script

स तीर्त्वा सरयूपारं दण्डस्तस्य कराच्च्युतः।।।।गोव्रजे बहुसाहस्रे पपातोक्षणसन्निधौ।

Transliteration

sa tīrtvā sarayū-pāraṁ daṇḍas tasya karāc cyutaḥ || go-vraje bahu-sāhasre papāta ukṣaṇa-sannidhau |

Translation

Aus seiner Hand entglitten, überquerte der Stab das Ufer der Sarayū bis ans jenseitige Gestade und fiel in einen Rinderpferch mit vielen Tausenden, nahe bei einem Stier.

Word by Word

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• pariṣvajya: having embraced
• pariṣvajya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√svaj (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), 'having embraced'

• dharmātmā: the righteous one
• dharmātmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; बहुव्रीहि: 'whose self is dharma' = righteous one

• ā: up to
• ā: Deśa-paryanta (देशपर्यन्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, Preverb/adverb indicating limit 'up to'

• tasmāt: from that
• tasmāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Masculine/Neuter, Ablative (पञ्चमी/5), Singular

• sarayūtaṭāt: from the bank of Sarayū
• sarayūtaṭāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarayū + taṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular; समास: sarayū + taṭa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'bank of Sarayū')

• ānayāmāsa: brought
• ānayāmāsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√nī (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, Perfect), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Singular; causative-like stem in usage 'brought'

• tāḥ: those (cows)
• tāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• gopaiḥ: by the herdsmen
• gopaiḥ: Sahakārī-karaṇa (सहकारीकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gopa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural

• trijaṭāyāḥ: of Trijaṭā
• trijaṭāyāḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: trijaṭā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular

• āśramam: hermitage
• āśramam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āśrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• prati: towards
• prati: Gati (गति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prati (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, Preposition-like indeclinable meaning 'towards'

Context

The staff he hurled crossed the bank of the river Sarayu and fell near a bull in the midst of a thousands cows.

Characters & Entities

• Sarayū
• cows

FAQs

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

Dharma expressed as dāna yields tangible abundance; the narrative uses scale (crossing Sarayū, thousands of cows) to highlight the magnitude of righteous giving.

What is the narrative situation?

The thrown staff lands far away—across the Sarayū—indicating a vast measure for the promised gift.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s largesse is implied by the enormous range that becomes the basis of the donation.