Valmiki Ramayana 2.53.1 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 53, Shloka 1

पञ्चाशत्तमः सर्गः (Sarga 53)

Rāma’s Lament, Vigil for Sītā, and Lakṣmaṇa’s Consolation

Devanagari script

स तं वृक्षं समासाद्य सन्ध्यामन्वास्यपश्चिमाम्।रामो रमयतां श्रेष्ठ इति होवाच लक्ष्मणम्।।।।

Transliteration

sa taṃ vṛkṣaṃ samāsādya sandhyām anvāsya paścimām | rāmo ramayatāṃ śreṣṭha iti hovāca lakṣmaṇam ||2.53.1||

Translation

Als er jenen Baum erreicht hatte, vollzog Rāma die abendliche Sandhyā, nach Westen gewandt; dann sprach Rāma, der Vornehmste der Tröster, zu Lakṣmaṇa.

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• tam: that
• tam: Karma (कर्म) (as determiner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Accusative, Singular; refers to 'vṛkṣam'

• vṛkṣam: tree
• vṛkṣam: Karma (कर्म) (object of 'samāsādya')
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• samāsādya: having reached
• samāsādya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√sad (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), ‘having approached/reached’

• sandhyām: twilight worship
• sandhyām: Karma (कर्म) (object of 'anvāsya')
• Type: Noun
• Root: sandhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• anvāsya: having performed
• anvāsya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-ā-√ās (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), ‘having performed/observed (worship)’

• paścimām: western (evening)
• paścimām: Karma (कर्म) (as qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paścima (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular; qualifying 'sandhyām'

• rāmaḥ: Rama
• rāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ramayatām: of those who delight (others)
• ramayatām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ramayat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Present active participle stem used substantively; Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन) (ramayatām = ‘of those who delight’); used as comparative set

• śreṣṭhaḥ: best
• śreṣṭhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; predicate adjective of 'rāmaḥ'

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-dyotaka (वाक्यार्थद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-निपात)

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

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• lakṣmaṇam: to Lakshmana
• lakṣmaṇam: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; addressee/object of speech

Context

On reaching the foot of the tree, Rama offered oblations to Sandhya of the west. And then he who is the best in keeping people in good humour said to Lakshmana:

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Sandhyā (evening rite)
• tree

FAQs

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

Dharma includes nitya-karma: even in exile and distress, Rāma maintains the discipline of daily sacred duties, showing that righteousness is steady practice, not convenience.

What is the narrative situation?

During the journey, they pause at evening; Rāma performs Sandhyā worship and then begins speaking to Lakṣmaṇa.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s self-control and religious steadiness—his commitment to duty remains unbroken despite personal loss.