Shloka 19

चित्रकूटवर्णनम् (Description of Chitrakūṭa) / Rama Shows Sita Chitrakuta

Devanagari script

इदमेवामृतं प्राहू राज्ञि राजर्षयः परे।वनवासं भवार्थाय प्रेत्य मे प्रपितामहाः।।।।

Transliteration

idam evāmṛtaṃ prāhur rājñi rājarṣayaḥ pare | vanavāsaṃ bhavārthāya pretya me prapitāmahāḥ ||

Translation

Meine Ahnen — jene alten königlichen Rishis — erklärten, dies sei wahrlich Amṛta: Für einen König ist das Leben im Wald wie Nektar, es bringt geistiges Heil und einen höheren Stand nach dem Tod.

Word by Word

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic/limiting particle (अवधारण निपात)

• amṛtam: nectar
• amṛtam: Pradhāna-predication (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: amṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन) (predicate noun)

• prāhuḥ: said
• prāhuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√ah (आह) (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person/प्रथम), Bahuvacana (plural/बहुवचन)

• rājñi: for the king / in the king's case
• rājñi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• rājarṣayaḥ: royal sages
• rājarṣayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक) + ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya: rājā ca ṛṣiś ca (royal sage); Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• pare: former/ancient
• pare: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन), qualifying rājarṣayaḥ/prapitāmahāḥ (ancient/foremost)

• vanavāsam: forest-dwelling
• vanavāsam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana-vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: vane vāsaḥ; Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhavārthāya: for well-being/existence
• bhavārthāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhava (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: bhavasya arthaḥ; Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

• pretya: after death
• pretya: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra-√i (एति) (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्) meaning 'having departed (this life)'; avyaya-kṛdanta

• me: my
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• prapitāmahāḥ: great-grandfathers/ancestors
• prapitāmahāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prapitāmaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

Context

My greatgrandfathers and ancient royal sages used to say that living in the forest is like enjoying nectar for a king for the best existence after death.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā
• rājarṣi (royal sages)

FAQs

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

Dharma is portrayed as disciplined acceptance of hardship for a higher good: forest-life, when embraced in truth and restraint, becomes spiritually fruitful—even ‘nectar’—rather than mere suffering.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma encourages Sītā during their stay at Citrakūṭa by citing ancestral tradition that values forest-dwelling as beneficial for a ruler’s spiritual destiny.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s steadiness (dhṛti) and reverence for tradition—he interprets exile through the lens of inherited wisdom and ethical purpose.