Valmiki Ramayana 2.87.16: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 87, Shloka 16

गुहसंवादः—रामस्य रात्रिवासवर्णनम्

Dialogue with Guha: Account of Rama’s Night Halt

Devanagari script

न ह्यस्माभिः प्रतिग्राह्यं सखे देयं तु सर्वदा।इति तेन वयं राजन्ननुनीता महात्मना।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.87.16

Transliteration

na hy asmābhiḥ pratigrāhyaṃ sakhe deyaṃ tu sarvadā |

iti tena vayaṃ rājan anunītā mahātmanā ||

Translation

‘હે સખા, અમારે ભેટ લેવી યોગ્ય નથી; પરંતુ સદા દાન આપવું જ યોગ્ય છે’—એમ કહી, હે રાજન, મહાત્મા રામે અમને સૌમ્ય રીતે સમજાવ્યા.

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Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/for)

• अस्माभिः: by us
• अस्माभिः: Karana (करण/agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural), सर्वनाम

• प्रतिग्राह्यम्: to be accepted (acceptable)
• प्रतिग्राह्यम्: Vidhi (विधि/obligation predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रति + ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• सखे: O friend
• सखे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• देयम्: to be given
• देयम्: Vidhi (विधि/obligation predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अवधारण-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• इति: thus
• इति: Vakyopanyasa (वाक्योपन्यास/quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (करण/by him)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular), सर्वनाम

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural), सर्वनाम

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अनुनीताः: were entreated/persuaded
• अनुनीताः: Karta (कर्ता/subject in passive-result sense)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + नी (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• महात्मना: by the great-souled (man)
• महात्मना: Karana (करण/by the great-souled one)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय ('महान् आत्मा यस्य') used as epithet

Context

O king! that great Rama entreated us in a friendly manner by saying 'O friend! we should always give to others but should never accept anything from others'.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Bharata

FAQs

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

The verse teaches an ethic of non-dependence and generosity: uphold dignity by giving rather than living on others’ gifts.

What is the narrative situation?

Guha reports Rāma’s rationale for refusing provisions, framed as friendly counsel.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s nobility and gentle persuasion—firm in principle yet courteous in speech.