Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 6

सत्यपाशः

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

Devanagari script

सरितां तु पतिस्स्वल्पां मर्यादां सत्यमन्वितः।सत्यानुरोधात्समये स्वां वेलां नातिवर्तते।।।।

Transliteration

saritāṃ tu patiḥ svalpāṃ maryādāṃ satyam anvitaḥ | satyānurodhāt samaye svāṃ velāṃ nātivartate ||

Translation

Même l’océan, seigneur des rivières, bien que sa limite soit étroite, par fidélité à la vérité ne franchit pas son propre rivage lorsque vient l’heure fixée.

Word by Word

• सरिताम्: of rivers
• सरिताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• पतिः: lord (ocean)
• पतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• स्वल्पाम्: small/limited
• स्वल्पाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object—qualifying)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• मर्यादाम्: boundary/limit
• मर्यादाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्यादा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सत्यम्: truth (as principle)
• सत्यम्: Hetu (हेतु/Reason—adverbial)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावेन (adverbial sense)

• अन्वितः: endowed with/following
• अन्वितः: Karta (कर्ता—qualifying)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वि (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन्; ‘युक्त/समन्वित’

• सत्यानुरोधात्: due to obedience to truth
• सत्यानुरोधात्: Hetu (हेतु/Ablative of cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुरोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): सत्यस्य अनुरोधः; पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• समये: at the proper time
• समये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location-time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• स्वाम्: his own
• स्वाम्: Karma (कर्म—qualifying)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण (pronominal adjective)

• वेलाम्: shore/limit
• वेलाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• अतिवर्तते: transgresses/goes beyond
• अतिवर्तते: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अति + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Context

The ocean, lord of rivers, even when (tidal) time comes does not cross the shore in obedience to truth.

Characters & Entities

• maryādā (boundary)
• satya (truth)

FAQs

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

Satya and maryādā: righteousness is expressed as self-restraint—keeping to one’s rightful limits even when conditions (time/tide) press toward excess.

What is the narrative situation?

A proverbial illustration is offered: the ocean serves as a model for keeping boundaries, reinforcing the Ramayana’s emphasis on truth and propriety.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The virtue is principled restraint (niyama): the moral ideal of not transgressing one’s proper limits.