Shloka 22

सीताप्रत्याख्यानम् / Rama’s Post-Victory Address to Sītā

Public Opinion and Royal Duty

Devanagari script

तदद्यव्याहृतंभद्रेमयैतत् कृतबुधदिना ।लक्ष्मणेनाथभरतेकुरुबुधदिंयथासुखम् ।।6.118.22।।

Transliteration

tad adya vyāhṛtaṃ bhadre mayā etat kṛta-buddhinā |

lakṣmaṇenātha bharate kuru buddhiṃ yathā-sukham ||6.118.22||

Translation

Du Gesegnete, dies habe ich heute nach reiflicher Überlegung gesprochen. Richte deinen Sinn, wie es dir gefällt: auf Lakṣmaṇa oder auf Bharata—wo immer du Wohlergehen zu finden meinst.

Word by Word

• tad: that
• tad: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Prathamā (1), Singular (एकवचन)

• adya: today
• adya: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb of time

• vyāhṛtam: utterance, statement
• vyāhṛtam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vi-ā-√hṛ (धातु) + vyāhṛta (कृदन्त)
• Form: Kta (क्त) PPP used substantively; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Prathamā (1), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhadre: O auspicious one
• bhadre: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Vocative/Sambodhana, Singular (एकवचन)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Instrumental/Tṛtīyā (3), Singular (एकवचन)

• etat: this
• etat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Prathamā (1), Singular (एकवचन); apposition to vyāhṛtam

• kṛta-buddhinā: by me, having made up my mind
• kṛta-buddhinā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (कृदन्त) + buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi (बहुव्रीहि) compound meaning 'one whose buddhi is made/settled'; Instrumental/Tṛtīyā (3), Singular (एकवचन), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग) agreeing with mayā (speaker)

• lakṣmaṇena: with Lakṣmaṇa
• lakṣmaṇena: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental/Tṛtīyā (3), Singular (एकवचन)

• atha: or else
• atha: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), disjunctive/alternative particle

• bharate: with Bharata
• bharate: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative/Saptamī (7), Singular (एकवचन) (sense: 'with/at Bharata')

• kuru: do, make
• kuru: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Imperative/Loṭ (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• buddhim: decision, resolve
• buddhim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative/Dvitīyā (2), Singular (एकवचन)

• yathā-sukham: as you please, comfortably
• yathā-sukham: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva (अव्ययीभाव) adverbial compound

Context

"The reason for winning you back is to get rid of the insult. Now I have no interest in you. You may go to the place of your choice."

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Bharata

FAQs

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

The verse portrays dharma as socially situated: Rāma proposes alternative guardianship within the royal family, reflecting norms of protection and propriety.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma suggests Sītā may choose to live under the protection of Lakṣmaṇa or Bharata.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Deliberation and resolve (kṛta-buddhi): Rāma claims his speech is not impulsive but principled.