Valmiki Ramayana 2.107.5-6: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 107, Shlokas 5-6

पितृवाक्यपालनम्, गयाश्रुति-उपदेशः, भरतस्य राज्यग्रहण-निर्देशः

Rama’s Counsel on Vows, the Gaya Śruti, and Bharata’s Return to Rule

Spoken by Rama to BharataSetting: Ayodhya

Devanagari script

ततस्सा सम्प्रतिश्राव्य तव माता यशस्विनी ।

अयाचत नरश्रेष्ठं द्वौ वरौ वरवर्णिनी ॥५॥

तव राज्यं नरव्याघ्र मम प्रव्राजनं तथा ।

तौ च राजा तदा तस्यै नियुक्तः प्रददौ वरौ ॥६॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.107.5-6

Transliteration

tatassā sampratiśrāvya tava mātā yaśasvinī |

ayācata naraśreṣṭhaṃ dvau varau varavarṇinī ||5||

tava rājyaṃ naravyāghra mama pravrājanaṃ tathā |

tau ca rājā tadā tasyai niyuktaḥ pradadau varau ||6||

Translation

फिर तुम्हारी माँ ने राजा से पक्का वादा लिया। उसके बाद उन्होंने दो चीज़ें माँगी। पहले, तुम्हारा राज्य तुम्हे दे दिया। और दूसरा, मुझे वनवास भेज दिया। राजा ने अपना वादा निभाया और दोनों चीज़ें दे दी।

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Word by Word

• tataḥ: thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, temporal adverb
• Role: Kāla (काल)

• sā: she
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular; refers to Kaikeyi
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• sampratiśrāvya: having secured a promise
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु) with sam-prati- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), indeclinable; 'having made (him) promise / having caused to promise' (causative sense by context)
• Role: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)

• tava: your
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (6th), Singular
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• mātā: mother
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• yaśasvinī: illustrious
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yaśasvinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular; adjective to mātā
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• ayācata: asked/demanded
• Type: Verb
• Root: yāc (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (Aorist), Ātmanepada, 3rd Person, Singular
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• naraśreṣṭham: the best of men
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक) + śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: narāṇāṃ śreṣṭham (epithet of king)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• dvau: two
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative/Accusative, Dual (द्विवचन); numeral qualifying varau
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• varau: two boons
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Dual
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• varavarṇinī: of excellent complexion
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक) + varṇinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular; कर्मधारयः: varā varṇinī (of excellent complexion/appearance)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• tava: for you/your
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (6th), Singular (used for 'for you' by context)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• rājyam: kingdom
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• naravyāghra: O tiger among men
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक) + vyāghra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th), Singular; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रयोगः as epithet: 'tiger among men'
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• mama: my
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (6th), Singular (मम)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• pravrājanam: banishment/exile
• Type: Noun
• Root: pravrājana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• tathā: and likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, 'likewise/also'
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• tau: those two
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Dual; refers to the two boons
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• rājā: the king
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• tadā: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, time adverb
• Role: Kāla (काल)

• tasyai: to her
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Dative (4th), Singular
• Role: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)

• niyuktaḥ: bound (by promise)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni-yuj (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; 'bound/obliged/appointed'
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• pradadau: granted
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु) with pra- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: Liṭ (Perfect), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Singular
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• varau: two boons
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Dual
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

Sandhi Notes

• tatassā → tataḥ + sā
• naraśrēṣṭhaṅ → naraśreṣṭham
• tasyai → tasya + ai (dative)
• (variant reading has 'tac ca' instead of 'tau ca' in some recensions)

Context

Thereafter, O tiger among men, your illustrious mother of fair complexion, under oath demanded of that best of men, king Dasaratha, the two boons, namely kingdom for you and banishment for me. Bound by such agreement (oath), the king granted her the boons.

The teaching

A king's word, once given, must be honored even at great personal cost - satya stands supreme among royal virtues

Duties in tension

• King's oath to grant boons
• Father's duty to treat all sons equally
• King's duty to choose worthy successor
• Husband's promise versus kingdom's welfare

Ethical theme

Raja dharma

How it resolves

Dharma prioritization

For your practice

Illustrates the complexity of dharma and the sacrifice required to uphold truth

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Raudra (fury)

Mood

Tense, fateful, tragic

Themes

• Dharma
• Pitri-vakya
• Satya
• Rajadharma
• Sacrifice

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Bharata
• Kaikeyi
• Dasaratha

FAQs

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

The verse exemplifies the supreme Dharma of honoring a father's word (Pitri-vakya) and maintaining truth (Satya) even at great personal cost. Rama accepts exile without resentment, demonstrating that righteous conduct transcends personal injustice.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama explains to Bharata the circumstances of his exile, recounting how Kaikeyi invoked two boons promised by Dasaratha, Bharata's coronation and Rama's fourteen-year exile. Rama clarifies that he is bound by his father's promise.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse emphasizes Rama's unwavering commitment to Dharma and his lack of bitterness despite being wronged. It also highlights Dasaratha's adherence to his word (Satya) even when it caused him immense personal anguish.