Valmiki Ramayana 2.45.24: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 45, Shloka 24

अयोध्यावासिजनानुरागः · The People and Brahmins Follow Rama toward Exile

Addressed to RamaSetting: On the departure route from Ayodhya toward the forestPlaces named: Ayodhya, forest (vana)Citizens aligning themselves with forest-discipline to accompany Rama

Devanagari script

या हि नः सततं बुद्धिर्वेदमन्त्रानुसारिणी ।

त्वत्कृते सा कृता वत्स वनवासानुसारिणी ॥२४॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.45.24

Transliteration

yā hi naḥ satataṁ buddhir vedamantrānusāriṇī |

tvatkṛte sā kṛtā vatsa vanavāsānusāriṇī ||24||

Translation

Liebes Kind, unser Geist, der stets den vedischen Mantras folgte, ist um deinetwillen nun der Zucht des Waldlebens zugewandt.

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Word by Word

• या: which
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; relative pronoun referring to बुद्धिः
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• हि: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; particle (निपात) giving emphasis/causal nuance
• Role: Particle (निपात)

• नः: our
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• सततम्: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सततम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; adverb
• Role: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)

• बुद्धिः: mind, intention
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• वेद-मन्त्र-अनुसारिणी: following the Vedic mantras
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुसरिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; adjective agreeing with बुद्धिः; समासः—वेदमन्त्रान् अनुसरति इति
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• त्वत्-कृते: for your sake
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; idiomatically 'for your sake'; समासः—त्वया कृते (locative of cause)
• Role: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• सा: that (mind)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun referring to बुद्धिः
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• कृता: has been made
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; used predicatively with implied 'अस्ति'
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)

• वत्स: dear child
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)

• वनवास-अनुसारिणी: following (you into) forest-dwelling
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वनवास (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुसरिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; adjective agreeing with बुद्धिः; समासः—वनवासम् अनुसरति इति
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

Sandhi Notes

• बुद्धिर्वेद... → बुद्धिः + वेद...
• त्वत्कृते → त्वत् + कृते

Context

O dear child, our minds always pursue the study of vedic hymns. For your sake now they are made to follow the life in the forest.

The teaching

True adherence to śruti is not mere comfort-bound ritualism; it can mature into disciplined sacrifice for dharma.

Duties in tension

• Householder stability and civic order vs impulse to follow Rama into forest discipline
• Śruti-guided settled life vs emergency renunciatory adaptation for Rama’s sake

Ethical theme

Sādhāraṇa-dharma (discipline, self-control)

How it resolves

Reframing duty as dharma-aligned support; willingness to adopt austerity

Devotion and practice

Encourages redirecting buddhi toward tapas and service when dharma calls, without abandoning inner śruti-values.

Deity praised

Rama

Form of praise

Vandana (salutation)

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Resolute, austere, loving

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Anushasana (discipline)
• Renunciation
• Loyalty to the righteous

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Veda

FAQs

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

Dharma is shown as steadfast alignment of one’s inner resolve with sacred duty: those devoted to Vedic discipline are willing to redirect their life toward hardship (forest-discipline) to support a righteous person.

What is the narrative situation?

As Rama proceeds toward exile, the Brahmins and elders of Ayodhya follow him and plead that he return; they declare their readiness to adopt forest-life for his sake.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Devotion grounded in righteousness (bhakti joined with dharma): the speakers’ willingness to sacrifice comfort and routine for Rama’s cause.