Valmiki Ramayana 2.45.20: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 45, Shloka 20

अयोध्यावासिजनानुरागः

The People and Brahmins Follow Rama toward Exile

Devanagari script

गच्छन्तमेव तं दृष्ट्वा रामं सम्भ्रान्तचेतसः।ऊचुः परमसन्तप्ता रामं वाक्यमिदं द्विजाः।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.45.20

Transliteration

gacchantam eva taṃ dṛṣṭvā rāmaṃ sambhrānta-cetasaḥ |

ūcuḥ parama-santaptā rāmaṃ vākyam idaṃ dvijāḥ ||

Translation

Voyant Rāma poursuivre sa route, les brahmanes—accablés de peine et l’esprit bouleversé—adressèrent à Rāma ces paroles.

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Word by Word

• gacchantam: going
• gacchantam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (गम् धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of taṃ/rāmam

• eva: indeed, just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश् धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकाल

• rāmam: Rama
• rāmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तं इति विशेष्य

• sambhrānta-cetasaḥ: with agitated minds
• sambhrānta-cetasaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sambhrānta + cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास ('those whose minds are agitated'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण of dvijāḥ

• ūcuḥ: said
• ūcuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• parama-santaptāḥ: deeply distressed
• parama-santaptāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama + santapta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास ('extremely' + 'distressed'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण of dvijāḥ

• rāmam: Rama (addressed)
• rāmam: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे द्वितीया (addressed as object)

• vākyam: speech, statement
• vākyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• idam: this
• idam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of vākyam

• dvijāḥ: brahmins
• dvijāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Context

Having seen Rama thus going towards the forest, those brahmins, highly agitated and distressed, said to him:

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• brahmins (dvija)

FAQs

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

It underscores responsible speech in crisis: the brahmins, though distressed, choose to address Rama directly, seeking a dharmic resolution through counsel rather than force.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama continues toward exile; the brahmins, upset, begin to speak to him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The brahmins’ concern for dharma and Rama’s receptivity implied by the narrative setup.