Valmiki Ramayana 2.45.1: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 45, Shloka 1

अयोध्यावासिजनानुरागः · The People and Brahmins Follow Rama toward Exile

Setting: Ayodhya (implied, departure point)Places named: forest (vana)Departure toward forest-exile (vanavasa)

Devanagari script

अनुरक्ता महात्मानं रामं सत्यपराक्रमम् ।

अनुजग्मुः प्रयान्तं तं वनवासाय मानवाः ॥१॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.45.1

Transliteration

anuraktā mahātmānaṃ rāmaṃ satyaparākramam |

anujagmuḥ prayāntaṃ taṃ vanavāsāya mānavāḥ ||1||

Translation

In Liebe dem großherzigen Rāma zugetan, dessen wahre Kraft die Treue zur Wahrheit war, folgten die Menschen ihm, als er aufbrach, um im Wald in Verbannung zu leben.

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Word by Word

• anuraktāḥ: devoted (people)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anurakta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √rañj रञ्ज् + anu + kta)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masc), Prathamā (Nom, 1st), Bahuvacana (pl); kta-participle used adjectivally
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)

• mahātmānam: the great-souled (one)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc, 2nd), Ekavacana; कर्मधारय: mahān + ātmā
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• rāmam: Rama
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc, 2nd), Ekavacana
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)

• satyaparākramam: of true prowess
• Type: Adjective
• Root: satya-parākrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी): satyasya parākramaḥ (whose prowess is truth / truth-based prowess)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of rāmam)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• anujagmuḥ: followed
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√gam (धातु; गम्)
• Form: Luṅ (Aorist), Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Bahuvacana; upasarga anu
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)

• prayāntam: departing
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√yā (धातु; या)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; Śatṛ (present active participle) used adjectivally
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of tam/rāmam)

• tam: him/that (Rama)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; demonstrative pronoun
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)

• vanavāsāya: for forest-dwelling (exile)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana-vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Caturthī (Dat, 4th), Ekavacana; purpose dative; तत्पुरुष: vane vāsaḥ
• Role: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Goal-purpose)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• mānavāḥ: men/people
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition to anuraktāḥ)

Sandhi Notes

• anuraktā (text) → anuraktāḥ (visarga before consonant)
• mahātmānaṅ/rāmaṅ/taṅ/prayāntaṅ reflect anusvāra in edition: normalized to -am. No further sandhi splits

Context

When the high-souled Rama whose strength was his sense of truth set out for the forest, the faithful people followed him.

The teaching

Truth-aligned dharma generates legitimate authority and draws hearts even in loss.

Duties in tension

• Obedience to royal command and filial duty vs citizens’ desire to retain rightful protector
• Personal renunciation vs public welfare

Ethical theme

Rājadharma and sādhu-dharma (public virtue)

How it resolves

Acceptance of dharma through renunciation; citizens’ loyalty expressed as accompaniment

Devotion and practice

Smaraṇa of Rama’s satya-niṣṭhā; cultivating truthfulness and steadiness under adversity.

Deity praised

Rama (as mahātman, satyaparākrama)

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Vira (heroism)

Mood

Tearful devotion, steadfast resolve, public lament

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Rāja-dharma
• Public devotion
• Itihasa
• Ethics

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• People/subjects (mānavāḥ)
• Forest exile (vanavāsa)

FAQs

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

Satya is presented as real power: moral truthfulness becomes the basis of legitimate authority and public trust.

What is the narrative situation?

As Rāma begins his exile, the citizens, unable to bear separation, follow him out of devotion.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s satya-parākrama—strength expressed through unwavering truth and principled action.