Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 31, Shloka 8

सुन्‍दरकाण्डे एकत्रिंशः सर्गः

Hanuman’s Sweet Address to Sita and Sita’s Recognition

Devanagari script

तस्य सत्याभिसन्धस्य वृद्धस्य वचनात्पितुः।सभार्यस्सह च भ्रात्रा वीरः प्रव्राजितो वनम्।।।।

Transliteration

tasya satyābhisandhasya vṛddhasya vacanāt pituḥ | sabhāryaḥ saha ca bhrātrā vīraḥ pravrājito vanam ||

Translation

Pour honorer la parole de son père âgé, inébranlable dans la vérité, ce héros s’en alla en exil dans la forêt, avec son épouse et son frère.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (contextual pronoun)

• सत्य-अभिसन्धस्य: of the truth-steadfast one
• सत्य-अभिसन्धस्य: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिसन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; तत्पुरुष-समास (सत्ये अभिसन्धः यस्य/सत्याभिसन्धः = truth-resolved/steadfast in truth)

• वृद्धस्य: of the aged
• वृद्धस्य: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• वचनात्: from/according to the word (command)
• वचनात्: अपादान (Source/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; हेतौ/निमित्ते (because of/as per)

• पितुः: of (his) father
• पितुः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• स-भार्यः: with (his) wife
• स-भार्यः: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (सह-अर्थक उपसर्गवत्/अव्यय-पूर्वपद) + भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; अव्ययीभाव-समास (भार्यया सह = with (his) wife)

• सह: together with
• सह: सहकारक-सूचक (Associative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक-निपात (particle meaning 'together/with')

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

• भ्रात्रा: with (his) brother
• भ्रात्रा: सहकारी/सह-करण (Associate/Instrumental of accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; सहार्थे (in sense of accompaniment)

• वीरः: the hero
• वीरः: कर्ता (Agent/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• प्रव्राजितः: was exiled / went forth
• प्रव्राजितः: क्रिया (Predicate; passive/participial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त: भूतकर्मणि/भूतकालिक-कर्तरि प्रयोगे क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle, -ta); प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; अर्थ: 'sent/banished/went forth as an exile'

• वनम्: to the forest
• वनम्: कर्म (Object/Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; गत्यर्थे (destination)

Context

"Honouring the word of his aged father who was ever steadfast in truth, Rama left for the forest along with his wife and brother.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Daśaratha (father, implied)
• Sītā (wife, implied)
• Lakṣmaṇa (brother, implied)
• vana (forest)
• satya

FAQs

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

Satya and filial duty: honoring an elder’s pledged word is treated as dharma even when it demands personal loss and exile.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā recalls the cause of their forest life: Rāma’s acceptance of exile to uphold his father’s promise.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Integrity and obedience to truth-bound duty—choosing dharma over comfort and kingship.