Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 58, Shloka 16

अष्टपञ्चाशः सर्गः (Sarga 58)

Daśaratha Questions Sumantra; Messages from the Forest Threshold

Devanagari script

सर्वमन्तःपुरं वाच्यं सूत मद्वचनात्त्वया।आरोग्यमविशेषेण यथार्हं चाभिवादनम्।।।।

Transliteration

sarvam antaḥpuraṁ vācyaṁ sūta madvacanāt tvayā |

ārogyaṁ aviśeṣeṇa yathārhaṁ cābhivādanam ||

Translation

Ô cocher, de ma part, fais savoir à tout l’appartement intérieur—sans aucune distinction—que je m’enquiers de leur santé, et présente mes salutations selon le rang de chacun.

Word by Word

• sarvam: entire/all
• sarvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative, case 2), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; विशेषण to antaḥpuram

• antaḥpuram: inner apartments/harem
• antaḥpuram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antaḥpura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative, case 2), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• vācyam: should be conveyed
• vācyam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/passive necessity), प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन नपुंसकलिङ्ग; ‘वक्तव्यम्’ = to be said

• sūta: O charioteer
• sūta: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• mad-vacanāt: from my instruction
• mad-vacanāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (प्रातिपदिक) + vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• ārogyam: well-being/health
• ārogyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārogya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• aviśeṣeṇa: without distinction
• aviśeṣeṇa: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: a-viśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial instrumental), अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग (used adverbially): ‘without distinction’

• yathārham: as appropriate
• yathārham: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + arha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास, अव्यय; अर्थः = यथायोग्यम् (as is proper)

• ca: and
• ca: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• abhivādanam: salutation/greeting
• abhivādanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhivādana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

Context

'Convey my mother carefully my saluations and my wellbeing and tell her:

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sūta (charioteer)
• Antaḥpura (royal inner household)

FAQs

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

Dharma as impartial benevolence and proper respect: Rāma remembers all members of the household without bias, while still observing appropriate social forms (yathārham).

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma instructs the charioteer to carry greetings and health enquiries to the palace household.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s courtesy, empathy, and adherence to maryādā (propriety) are emphasized.