Valmiki Ramayana 2.68.22 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 68, Shloka 22

दूतप्रेषणम् — Dispatch of Messengers to Kekaya

Bharata’s Recall

Devanagari script

भर्तुः प्रियार्थं कुलरक्षणार्थं भर्तुश्च वंशस्य परिग्रहार्थम्।अहेडमाना स्त्वरया स्म दूता रात्र्यान्तु ते तत्पुरमेव याताः।।2.68.22।।

Transliteration

bhartuḥ priyārthaṃ kularakṣaṇārthaṃ bhartuś ca vaṃśasya parigrahārtham | aheḍamānāḥ stvarayā sma dūtā rātryāntu te tat-puram eva yātāḥ || 2.68.22 ||

Translation

Para complacer a su señor, para salvaguardar la estirpe real y sostener el honor y la continuidad de la dinastía del rey, los mensajeros, sin negligencia, se apresuraron y llegaron a esa misma ciudad durante la noche.

Word by Word

• याम्: which
• याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेष्य 'रात्रिम्'

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (just/indeed)

• रात्रिम्: night
• रात्रिम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ते: those
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• दूताः: messengers
• दूताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• प्रविशन्ति: were entering
• प्रविशन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√विश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-समर्थे लट् (historical present with स्म), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• स्म: (past marker)
• स्म: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: भूतार्थसूचक-अव्यय (particle with past narration)

• ताम्: that
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेष्य 'पुरीम्'

• पुरीम्: city
• पुरीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• भरतेन: by Bharata
• भरतेन: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (also)

• ताम्: that
• ताम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेष्य 'रात्रिम्'

• रात्रिम्: night
• रात्रिम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स्वप्नः: dream
• स्वप्नः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वप्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दृष्टः: was seen
• दृष्टः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे 'was seen'

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणवत् of स्वप्नः

• अप्रियः: unpleasant/distressing
• अप्रियः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण of स्वप्नः

Context

To please their master (sage Vasistha) and to preserve the royal dynasty and also to protect the honour of the (race and people), the messengers soon reached their destination by night without any negligence of their duty.ইত্যার্ষে শ্রীমদ্রামাযণে বাল্মীকীয আদিকাব্যে অযোধ্যাকাণ্ডে অষ্টষষ্টিতমস্সর্গঃ৷৷Thus ends the sixtyeighth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• messengers (dūtāḥ)

FAQs

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

Dharma is loyalty aligned with the common good: service to one’s master is justified when it protects the dynasty’s integrity and social order.

What is the narrative situation?

The narration concludes the messengers’ urgent travel: they hurry without carelessness and reach the destination city during the night.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Non-negligence (apramāda) and fidelity—carrying out entrusted work meticulously and quickly.