Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 22

सत्यपाशः

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

Devanagari script

स्थाप्य राज्ये मम सुतं कृत्वा रामं वनेचरम्।निस्सपत्नां च मां कृत्वा कृतकृत्यो भविष्यसि।।।।

Transliteration

sthāpya rājye mama sutaṃ kṛtvā rāmaṃ vane-caram |

niḥsapatnāṃ ca māṃ kṛtvā kṛta-kṛtyo bhaviṣyasi ||

Translation

Ce n’est qu’après avoir établi mon fils sur le trône, fait de Rāma un habitant de la forêt et m’avoir rendue sans rivale, que tu auras accompli ton devoir.

Word by Word

• स्थाप्य: having installed
• स्थाप्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रेरण (causative: स्थापयति) + क्त्वा-लोप (absolutive); ‘having installed’

• राज्ये: in the kingdom
• राज्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• सुतम्: son
• सुतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive)

• रामम्: Rama
• रामम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वनेचरम्: a forest-dweller
• वनेचरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन-चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः: वने चरति (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष/उपपद)

• निःसपत्नाम्: without rivals
• निःसपत्नाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः-सपत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव (निः = without); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying माम्)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

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

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive)

• कृतकृत्यः: having fulfilled (your) duty
• कृतकृत्यः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत-कृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying implied ‘त्वम्’); कर्मधारयः: कृतं कृत्यं येन (one whose duty is done)

• भविष्यसि: you will be
• भविष्यसि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Future), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Context

Only after you have installed my son in the kingdom and sent Rama to the forest and made me free from rivals, you shall have your duty fulfiled.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha
• Rāma
• Bharata (implied as 'my son')
• kingdom (rājya)
• forest (vana)

FAQs

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

It frames how power can misuse the language of duty: Kaikeyī recasts Daśaratha’s dharma (truth to promises) into a program of injustice against Rāma.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī explicitly states her terms: Bharata must be enthroned, and Rāma must be sent to the forest.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Negatively, it highlights the vice of jealousy and political ambition; dharmic kingship is contrasted with self-serving demands.