Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 15

सत्यपाशः

Kaikeyi’s Demand and the Noose of the King’s Promise

Devanagari script

प्रयाता रजनी देवि सूर्यस्योदयनंप्रति।अभिषेकं गुरुजनस्त्वरयिष्यति मां ध्रुवम्।।।।

Transliteration

prayātā rajanī devi sūryasyodayanaṃ prati | abhiṣekaṃ gurujanas tvarayiṣyati māṃ dhruvam ||

Translation

Ô reine, la nuit s’en est allée et le soleil approche de son lever. Les anciens et les précepteurs, assurément, me presseront de hâter la consécration.

Word by Word

• प्रयाता: gone/passed
• प्रयाता: Karta (कर्ता—qualifying)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘गत/अतीता’ (qualifies रजनी)

• रजनी: night
• रजनी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• देवि: O queen
• देवि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• सूर्यस्य: of the sun
• सूर्यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• उदयनम्: rising
• उदयनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object—goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गमन-लक्ष्य (goal)

• प्रति: towards
• प्रति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Directional)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्गसदृश-अव्यय (towards)

• अभिषेकम्: consecration
• अभिषेकम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिषेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• गुरुजनः: elders/preceptors
• गुरुजनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: गुरूणां जनः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (collective)

• त्वरयिष्यति: will hurry (make hasten)
• त्वरयिष्यति: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्वर् (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative: ‘will cause to hurry’)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ध्रुवम्: certainly
• ध्रुवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative)

Context

O queen the night has departed and the Sun is about to rise. The preceptors now will definitely ask me to hasten for the consecration.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī
• Sūrya (Sun)
• Abhiṣeka (consecration)

FAQs

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

Dharma as public duty: royal rituals and promises are not private matters; time, witnesses, and institutions (elders) create moral urgency and accountability.

What is the narrative situation?

Morning approaches for Rāma’s planned coronation, increasing the immediacy of Kaikeyī’s demand and Daśaratha’s dilemma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Daśaratha’s awareness of responsibility to social order and ritual propriety, even amid personal collapse.