Shloka 2.33.15

त्रयस्त्रिंशः सर्गः — Civic Lament and Rama’s Dutiful Approach to Daśaratha

Devanagari script

मूलं ह्येष मनुष्याणां धर्मसारो महाद्युतिः।पुष्पं फलं च पत्रं च शाखाश्चास्येतरे जनाः।।।।

Transliteration

mūlaṃ hy eṣa manuṣyāṇāṃ dharmasāro mahādyutiḥ | puṣpaṃ phalaṃ ca patraṃ ca śākhāś cāsyetare janāḥ ||

Translation

He—radiant, the very essence of dharma—is indeed the root of humanity; the other people are like its flowers, fruits, leaves, and branches.

Context

Effulgent Rama personifies the essence of dharma. He is the root of (the tree of) humanity. The other people are connected with this tree like flowers, fruit, leaves and branches.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• dharma (dharmasāra)
• humanity (manuṣya)
• tree imagery (root, branches, leaves, flowers, fruits)

FAQs

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

Dharma is envisioned as rooted in a living exemplar: when a society has a dharmic model at its root, the rest of life (institutions and people) can flourish as branches and fruits.

What is the narrative situation?

In public discourse around the exile, Rāma is elevated as the moral foundation of the kingdom and even of human society.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s identity as dharmasāra—his life embodies righteousness so fully that others draw moral nourishment from him.