Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 17, Shloka 10

रामस्य राजमार्गगमनम्

Rama’s Progress along the Royal Highway

Devanagari script

अलमद्य हि भुक्तेन परमार्थैरलं च नः।।।।यदि पश्याम निर्यान्तं रामं राज्ये प्रतिष्ठितम्।

Transliteration

alam adya hi bhuktena paramārthair alaṃ ca naḥ | yadi paśyāma niryāntaṃ rāmaṃ rājyе pratiṣṭhitam ||

Translation

«Hoy, el alimento nos basta—y aun los más altos fines de la vida se sentirían colmados—si tan solo pudiéramos ver a Rama firmemente establecido en el reino y saliendo en solemne procesión.»

Word by Word

• अलम्: enough; sufficient
• अलम्: सम्बन्ध/वाक्योपपद (discourse particle; predicates sufficiency)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अलम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारः—निपात/पर्याप्त्यर्थक-अव्ययम् (indeclinable particle meaning 'enough/sufficient')

• अद्य: today
• अद्य: अधिकरण (time-locative adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारः—कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (temporal adverb)

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: सम्बन्ध (connective/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारः—निपातः (emphatic/causal particle)

• भुक्तेन: with food; by eating
• भुक्तेन: करण (instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुक्त (√भुज् धातु) + तृतीया-एकवचन
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त); नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे प्रयोगः (contextual); तृतीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (instrumental singular: 'by/with what is eaten')

• परमार्थैः: with the highest aims/objects (of life)
• परमार्थैः: करण (instrument/means; 'by/with the highest aims')
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) (समासः: परमार्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; तृतीया विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (instrumental plural); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (परमः अर्थः = परमार्थः)

• अलम्: enough
• अलम्: सम्बन्ध/वाक्योपपद (reiterates sufficiency)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अलम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारः—निपात/पर्याप्त्यर्थक-अव्ययम्

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारः—समुच्चयबोधक-निपातः (conjunction)

• नः: for us; of us
• नः: सम्बन्ध (genitive relation/possessor; 'for us')
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (genitive plural enclitic: 'of us/for us')

• यदि: if
• यदि: सम्बन्ध (conditional connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारः—शर्तबोधक-अव्ययम् (conditional particle 'if')

• पश्याम: we see
• पश्याम: क्रिया (verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश् (दृश्) धातु
• Form: लट्-लकारः (present indicative); उत्तमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम् (1st person plural: 'we see')

• निर्यान्तम्: going out; proceeding (in procession)
• निर्यान्तम्: कर्म (object-qualifier within object NP)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + √या (धातु) (शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (शतृ/वर्तमानकृदन्त); पुंलिङ्गः; द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (accusative singular; qualifies रामम्)

• रामम्: Rama
• रामम्: कर्म (object of 'see')
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (accusative singular)

• राज्ये: in the kingdom
• राज्ये: अधिकरण (location/sphere)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः; सप्तमी विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (locative singular)

• प्रतिष्ठितम्: established; enthroned
• प्रतिष्ठितम्: कर्म (object-qualifier within object NP)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रति + √स्था (धातु) (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/भूतकृदन्त); पुंलिङ्गः; द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (accusative singular; qualifies रामम्)

Context

Surrounded by friends overwhelmed with great joy, that glorious Rama aboard the chariot beheld the city decorated with banners and pennants and made fragrant with expensive incense and agaru and crowded with multitudes of people.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Rajya (kingship)

FAQs

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

Dharma is the longing for righteous rule: people value a dharmic king so highly that worldly needs seem secondary.

What is the narrative situation?

The citizens express their heartfelt desire to witness Rama established as king and moving in a ceremonial procession.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s perceived dharmic fitness for rule—his satya and restraint inspire public trust and devotion.