Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 109, Shloka 2

सत्यधर्मप्रतिपादनम्

Rama’s Defense of Truth and Dharma in Reply to Jabali

Devanagari script

भवान्मे प्रियकामार्थं वचनं यदिहोक्तवान्।अकार्यं कार्यसङ्काशमपथ्यं पथ्यसम्मतम्।।2.109.2।।

Transliteration

bhavān me priyakāmārthaṁ vacanaṁ yad ihok­tavān |

akāryaṁ kārya-saṅkāśam apathyaṁ pathya-sammatam ||2.109.2||

Translation

What you have spoken to please me only appears to be the right course; in truth it is not to be done—harmful, though presented as beneficial.

Word by Word

• bhavān: you (sir)
• bhavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; honorific 2nd person pronoun-like

• me: to me
• me: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī/Caturthī (6th/4th), Ekavacana; enclitic ‘to me/of me’ (here: to me)

• priya-kāma-artham: for pleasing (me)
• priya-kāma-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: priya + kāma + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva-like adverbial accusative (उपपद-समास/अव्ययीभावार्थ), Napumsaka, Vitīyā, Ekavacana; ‘for the purpose of pleasing’

• vacanam: words/speech
• vacanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Vitīyā, Ekavacana

• yat: which
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Vitīyā, Ekavacana; relative pronoun referring to vacanam

• iha: here/now
• iha: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (now/here)

• uktavān: (you) have spoken
• uktavān: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु) + kta-vat (कृत्)
• Form: Kṛdanta ‘ktavat’ (क्तवत्) perfective participle, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; used with implied ‘asi’ → ‘you have spoken’

• akāryam: what should not be done
• akāryam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā/Vitīyā, Ekavacana

• kārya-saṅkāśam: appearing as a duty
• kārya-saṅkāśam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya + saṅkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā/Vitīyā, Ekavacana; तत्पुरुषः: kāryasya saṅkāśam (having the appearance of something to be done)

• apathyam: unwholesome/harmful
• apathyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-pathya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā/Vitīyā, Ekavacana

• pathya-sammatam: considered beneficial
• pathya-sammatam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pathya + sammata (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā/Vitīyā, Ekavacana; तत्पुरुषः: pathyam iti sammatam (considered wholesome)

Context

I am always true to my promise. I will not break the bridge of truth of my father out of either greed or delusion or ignorance or illusion.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata (implied by context)

FAQs

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

Dharma is not determined by pleasing speech or appearances; an act must be judged by truth and righteousness, not by how ‘good’ it sounds.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata urges Rāma to return and take the throne; Rāma begins to critique the proposal as outwardly attractive but ethically improper given prior vows.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Viveka (discernment): Rāma distinguishes between apparent benefit and true righteousness.