Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 17, Shloka 11

रामस्य राजमार्गगमनम्

Rama’s Progress along the Royal Highway

Devanagari script

अतो हि नः प्रियतरं नान्यत्किञ्चिद्भविष्यति।।।।यथाऽभिषेको रामस्य राज्येनामिततेजसः।

Transliteration

ato hi naḥ priyataraṃ nānyat kiñcid bhaviṣyati | yathā ’bhiṣeko rāmasya rājyena amitatējasaḥ ||

Translation

“For us, nothing will ever be dearer than Rama’s consecration to kingship—Rama of unmeasured brilliance.”

Word by Word

• ataḥ: therefore; than that
• ataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), तस्मात्-अर्थे (ablative sense) = 'therefore/than that'

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय-निपात)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधारण/हेतु-समर्थनार्थक (emphatic/for indeed)

• naḥ: for us / of us
• naḥ: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-बहुवचनरूपम् (Gen./Dat. plural) = 'of us/for us'

• priyataram: dearer
• priyataram: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priya (प्रिय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण (adjective), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (Nom./Acc. sg.), तर्तम-प्रत्यय (comparative)

• na: not
• na: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय-निषेध)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negative particle)

• anyat: anything else
• anyat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (अन्य-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण (pronominal adjective used substantively), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (Nom./Acc. sg.)

• kiñcit: anything (at all)
• kiñcit: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (किम्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (Nom./Acc. sg.)

• bhaviṣyati: will be
• bhaviṣyati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू-धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• yathā: as; just as
• yathā: Upamana (उपमान/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), उपमान/प्रकारार्थक (as/how)

• abhiṣekaḥ: consecration
• abhiṣekaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhiṣeka (अभिषेक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा एकवचन (Nom. sg.)

• rāmasya: of Rama
• rāmasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (राम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन (Gen. sg.)

• rājyena: with the kingdom (as accompaniment/means)
• rājyena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājya (राज्य-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन (Instr. sg.)

• amitatejasaḥ: of (him) of undimmed brilliance
• amitatejasaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: amita-tejas (अमिततेजस्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः कर्मधारयः (amitaḥ tejaḥ yasya/tejas = undimmed brilliance), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन (Gen. sg.), विशेषणम् (qualifying rāmasya)

Context

If only we can see Rama enthroned today and going in a procession, there will be no need for food and no greater object of life to be accomplished.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Abhisheka (consecration)
• Rajya (kingship)

FAQs

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

Dharma is the prioritization of righteous governance: the people cherish the enthronement of a truthful, dharmic ruler above all other gains.

What is the narrative situation?

The crowd openly declares that nothing is dearer to them than Rama’s coronation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Amitatejas (undimmed moral-spiritual radiance) paired with public confidence—Rama’s integrity makes his rule an object of collective hope.