Valmiki Ramayana 2.32.40: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 32, Shloka 40

द्वात्रिंशस्सर्गः

Gifts to Suyajna and the Brahmins; Trijata’s Petition and Rama’s Charity

Devanagari script

उवाच स ततो रामस्तं गार्ग्यमभिसान्त्वयन्।मन्युर्न खलु कर्तव्यः परिहासो ह्ययं मम।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.32.40

Transliteration

uvāca sa tato rāmas taṃ gārgyam abhisāntvayan |

manyur na khalu kartavyaḥ parihāso hy ayaṃ mama ||

Translation

Then Rāma, consoling that Gārgya, said: “You should not be angry; this was only my jest.”

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Word by Word

• idam: this
• idam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• hi: indeed; for
• hi: Hetu-dyotaka (हेतुद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• tejaḥ: power; brilliance
• tejaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• tava: your
• tava: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive, Singular

• yat: which
• yat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun, Neuter, Nominative, Singular; correlates with 'tad'

• duratyayam: unsurpassable
• duratyayam: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur-atyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular; qualifies tejaḥ; समास: dur + atyaya (कर्मधारय: 'hard to surpass')

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Neuter, Nominative, Singular; correlative to 'yat'

• eva: just; indeed
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) of restriction/emphasis

• jijñāsitum: to ascertain
• jijñāsitum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jñā (धातु)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्) with desiderative stem (जिज्ञास-), 'to ascertain/know'

• icchatā: by (me) wishing
• icchatā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √iṣ (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Instrumental (तृतीया), Singular; Masculine/Neuter; agrees with 'mayā' (speaker): 'by me desiring'

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Instrumental, Singular

• imam: this
• imam: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Masculine, Accusative, Singular; qualifies artham

• bhavān: you (sir)
• bhavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Honorific pronoun, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• artham: matter; purpose
• artham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• abhi: towards; regarding
• abhi: Upasarga (उपसर्ग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: abhi (अव्यय)
• Form: Preverb/indeclinable (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) meaning 'towards/with regard to'

• pracoditaḥ: incited; urged
• pracoditaḥ: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√cud (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with bhavān

• vṛṇīṣva: choose; ask for
• vṛṇīṣva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vṛ (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (Imperative), Ātmanepada, 2nd Person, Singular

• kim: what; any
• kim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative pronoun, Neuter, Accusative, Singular; with 'aparam' = 'anything else'

• cet: if
• cet: Śart (शर्त्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cet (अव्यय)
• Form: Conditional particle (निपात) 'if'

• aparam: other; additional
• aparam: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; qualifies implied 'kim'/'artham'

• vyavasyati: decides; intends
• vyavasyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-ava-√sā (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Singular

Context

Afterwards Rama sought to placate Trijata, that descendant of Ganga, saying: This was a joke. Do not be angry.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Gārgya

FAQs

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

Dharma here is restraint in emotion and reconciliation: anger should be checked, and misunderstandings should be resolved through gentle speech.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma notices that the brāhmaṇa/ṛṣi Gārgya has been provoked or offended, and he pacifies him by clarifying that it was only a joke.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s courtesy and emotional intelligence—he quickly consoles the offended person and prevents conflict.