Valmiki Ramayana 2.109.20: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 109, Shloka 20

सत्यधर्मप्रतिपादनम्

Rama’s Defense of Truth and Dharma in Reply to Jabali

Spoken by Rama to BharataSetting: Ayodhyā (contextual)Ethical refusal before exile

Devanagari script

क्षात्रं धर्ममहंत्यक्ष्ये ह्यधर्मं धर्मसंहितम् ।

क्षुद्रैर्नृशंसैर्लुब्धैश्च सेवितं पापकर्मभिः ॥२०॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.109.20

Transliteration

kṣātraṁ dharmam ahaṁ tyakṣye hy adharmaṁ dharma-saṁhitam |

kṣudrair nṛśaṁsair lubdhaiś ca sevitaṁ pāpa-karmabhiḥ ||20||

Translation

मैं उस धरम को छोड़ देता हूँ जो गलत काम को सही दिखाता है। यह छोटे लोग, ज़्यादती करने वाले, लोभी और पापी लोग मानते हैं। मैं राजा वंश का हूँ, पर इसका मतलब यह नहीं कि मैं गलत काम करूँ।

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Word by Word

• क्षात्रम्: kṣatriya (royal)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण qualifying धर्मम् ('kṣatriya-related')
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)

• धर्मम्: duty/code
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)

• अहम्: I
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद्)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)

• त्यक्ष्ये: I will abandon/renounce
• Type: Verb
• Root: tyaj (त्यज् धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)

• हि: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis/causal)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)

• अधर्मम्: unrighteousness
• Type: Noun
• Root: adharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; in apposition to (kṣātraṃ) dharmam as ironic usage
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object apposition)

• धर्मसंहितम्: cloaked as dharma; aligned-with-dharma (in form)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma-saṃhita (प्रातिपदिक; components: dharma + saṃhita)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (in conformity with dharma); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; qualifies अधर्मम् (ironical: 'ad-harma that is dressed as dharma')
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• क्षुद्रैः: by the base/mean (men)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; agent-instrument in passive with सेवितम्
• Role: Kartr̥ (कर्ता/Agent in passive; instrumental)

• नृशंसैः: by the cruel
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nṛśaṃsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; coordinate with क्षुद्रैः
• Role: Kartr̥ (कर्ता/Agent in passive)

• लुब्धैः: by the greedy
• Type: Adjective
• Root: lubdha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
• Role: Kartr̥ (कर्ता/Agent in passive)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Coordination)

• सेवितम्: practised/pursued
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sev (सेव् धातु) > sevita (कृदन्त/क्त, PPP)
• Form: क्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; qualifies अधर्मम्/धर्मसंहितम्
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)

• पापकर्मभिः: by evil-doers
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa-karma (प्रातिपदिक; components: pāpa + karma)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (evil deeds); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; 'by men of evil deeds' (bahuvrīhi sense in context, but form is instrumental plural)
• Role: Kartr̥ (कर्ता/Agent in passive)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

Sandhi Notes

• धर्ममहं = धर्मम् + अहम् (m + a)
• ह्यधर्मं = हि + अधर्मम् (इ + अ → य)
• क्षुद्रैर्नृशंसैः = क्षुद्रैः + नृशंसैः (visarga sandhi)
• लुब्धैश्च = लुब्धैः + च (visarga sandhi)

Context

I renounce the so-called kshatriya code of conduct followed by the mean the cruel, the greedy and by men of evil deeds which is unrighteousness under the cloak of righteousness.

The teaching

Not everything labeled ‘kṣatriya dharma’ is dharma; cruelty and greed corrupt duty into sin.

Duties in tension

• Assertive kṣātra response (force/punishment)
• Higher dharma of righteousness and truth that forbids cruelty/greed

Ethical theme

Dharma-viveka / critique of dharma-ābhāsa

How it resolves

Redefinition and rejection of dharma-ābhāsa; choosing principled restraint

For your practice

Examine one’s ‘duty’ for hidden greed/cruelty; cultivate purity of intention before action.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Raudra (fury), with Bibhatsa (disgust)

Mood

Indignant, purifying, uncompromising

Themes

• Dharma
• Ethics
• Maryada
• Satya
• Political Dharma
• Itihasa

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Kṣātra-dharma (kshatriya code)
• Dharma
• Adharma

FAQs

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

Dharma must be genuine; power-politics or self-serving conduct cannot be justified by labeling it ‘dharma’.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma rejects any argument that royal pragmatism should override his truthful vow and moral clarity.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral courage: refusing corrupted norms even if they are socially defended as ‘duty’.