Valmiki Ramayana 2.33.15 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 33, Shloka 15

त्रयस्त्रिंशः सर्गः

Civic Lament and Rama’s Dutiful Approach to Daśaratha

Devanagari script

मूलं ह्येष मनुष्याणां धर्मसारो महाद्युतिः।पुष्पं फलं च पत्रं च शाखाश्चास्येतरे जनाः।।।।

Transliteration

mūlaṃ hy eṣa manuṣyāṇāṃ dharmasāro mahādyutiḥ | puṣpaṃ phalaṃ ca patraṃ ca śākhāś cāsyetare janāḥ ||

Translation

Er, strahlend und das Wesen des Dharma, ist wahrlich die Wurzel der Menschheit; die übrigen Menschen sind wie seine Blüten, Früchte, Blätter und Zweige.

Word by Word

• mūlam: root
• mūlam: Karta (कर्ता; predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate noun

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (emphasis)

• eṣaḥ: this (Rama)
• eṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• manuṣyāṇām: of humans
• manuṣyāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manuṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Bahuvacana

• dharmasāraḥ: essence of dharma
• dharmasāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + sāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: dharma-sāra 'essence of dharma'; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; in apposition to eṣaḥ

• mahādyutiḥ: greatly radiant one
• mahādyutiḥ: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + dyuti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya: mahā-dyuti 'greatly radiant'; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; in apposition to eṣaḥ

• puṣpam: flower
• puṣpam: Karta (कर्ता; predicate list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• phalam: fruit
• phalam: Karta (कर्ता; predicate list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana

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

• patram: leaf
• patram: Karta (कर्ता; predicate list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana

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

• śākhāḥ: branches
• śākhāḥ: Karta (कर्ता; predicate list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śākhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana

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

• asya: of him (Rama)
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana

• itare: other
• itare: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: itara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; qualifying janāḥ

• janāḥ: people
• janāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana

Context

Effulgent Rama personifies the essence of dharma. He is the root of (the tree of) humanity. The other people are connected with this tree like flowers, fruit, leaves and branches.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• dharma (dharmasāra)

FAQs

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

Dharma is envisioned as rooted in a living exemplar: when a society has a dharmic model at its root, the rest of life (institutions and people) can flourish as branches and fruits.

What is the narrative situation?

In public discourse around the exile, Rāma is elevated as the moral foundation of the kingdom and even of human society.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s identity as dharmasāra—his life embodies righteousness so fully that others draw moral nourishment from him.