Valmiki Ramayana 2.48.16: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 48, Shloka 16

अयोध्यायाः शोकवर्णनम्

Ayodhya’s Lament and Civic Desolation

Devanagari script

स हि शूरो महाबाहुः पुत्रो दशरथस्य च।पुरा भवति नोदूरादनुगच्छाम राघवम्।।2.48.16।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.48.16

Transliteration

sa hi śūro mahābāhuḥ putro daśarathasya ca |

purā bhavati no dūrād anugacchāma rāghavam || 2.48.16 ||

Translation

Er ist wahrlich ein Held, großarmig und tapfer, der Sohn Daśarathas. Ehe er sich zu weit von uns entfernt, lasst uns Rāghava folgen.

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Word by Word

• saḥ: he (Rama)
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (Pronoun/सर्वनाम), Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (Indeclinable/अव्यय), Emphatic particle (निपात)

• śūraḥ: valiant
• śūraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण) of saḥ

• mahā-bāhuḥ: mighty-armed
• mahā-bāhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya samāsa (कर्मधारय) = mahān bāhuḥ yasya; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; Viśeṣaṇa of saḥ

• putraḥ: son
• putraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; Apposition to saḥ

• daśarathasya: of Daśaratha
• daśarathasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśaratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive/षष्ठी), Ekavacana

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

• purā: formerly / earlier
• purā: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, Adverb of time (कालवाचक)

• bhavati: is / becomes
• bhavati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present/लट्), Prathama puruṣa, Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

• naḥ: for us / our
• naḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Genitive (Ṣaṣṭhī/षष्ठी) or Dative (Caturthī/चतुर्थी) plural form; here: Genitive plural (our) with dūrāt (distance) sense: 'for us'/'to us' contextually

• dūrāt: from far away
• dūrāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga (often used as indeclinable-like), Pañcamī vibhakti (Ablative/पञ्चमी), Ekavacana

• anugacchāma: we follow
• anugacchāma: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu + gam (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present/लट्), Uttama puruṣa (1st person/उत्तमपुरुष), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन), Parasmaipada

• rāghavam: Rāghava (Rama)
• rāghavam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

Context

Before that valiant, strong-armed son of Dasaratha goes too far away (from us), we should follow him.

Characters & Entities

• Rama (Rāghava)
• Daśaratha

FAQs

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

It stresses loyal support of righteousness: when a dharmic person is wronged by circumstance, society feels compelled to stand near him rather than abandon him.

What is the narrative situation?

The citizens urge one another to follow Rama before he gets too far into exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s heroism and worthiness of allegiance, grounded in his commitment to Satya and Dharma.