Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 118, Shloka 5

अनसूयोपदेशः तथा सीताया स्वयंवरकथा

Anasuya’s Counsel and Sita’s Swayamvara Narrative

Devanagari script

यां वृत्तिं वर्तते रामः कौसल्यायां महाबलः।तामेव नृपनारीणामन्यासामपि वर्तते।।2.118.5।।

Transliteration

yāṁ vṛttiṁ vartate rāmaḥ kausalyāyāṁ mahābalaḥ | tām eva nṛpa-nārīṇām anyāsām api vartate || 2.118.5 ||

Translation

Le puissant Rāma traite les autres reines du roi de la même manière qu’il traite Kausalyā.

Word by Word

• yām: which
• yām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (singular); सम्बन्धबोधक (relative)

• vṛttim: conduct / manner
• vṛttim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛtti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• vartate: behaves / conducts himself
• vartate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vṛt (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• rāmaḥ: Rama
• rāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• kausalyāyām: towards Kausalya / in (relation to) Kausalya
• kausalyāyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kausalyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन (singular)

• mahābalaḥ: mighty
• mahābalaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (descriptive: 'great strength'), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (singular); रामः इति विशेषणम्

• tām: that (same)
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• eva: indeed / the very same
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (only/just)

• nṛpanārīṇām: of the king's wives
• nṛpanārīṇām: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa + nārī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: 'king's women/queens'), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन (plural)

• anyāsām: of other (wives)
• anyāsām: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन (plural); नृपनारीणाम् इति विशेषणम्

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (also)

• vartate: behaves
• vartate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vṛt (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

Context

Mighty Rama shows the same behaviour and treatment towards the other consorts of the king as he does towards his own mother Kausalya.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Kausalyā

FAQs

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

Dharma here is impartial reverence within the family: Rāma extends to all of his father’s queens the same respectful conduct he shows his own mother.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā describes Rāma’s character to Anasūyā while in the forest, emphasizing his disciplined, respectful household conduct.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Maryādā (propriety) and filial respect—Rāma’s consistent honor toward elders and family members without favoritism.