Valmiki Ramayana 2.111.20: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 111, Shloka 20

अयोध्याकाण्डे एकादशोत्तरशततमः सर्गः

Sarga 111: Counsel on Gurus, Parental Debt, and Bharata’s Protest

Addressed to BharataSetting: चित्रकूट (राम-निवास-प्रदेश)Bharata’s approach to persuade Rama to return

Devanagari script

ते तदोचुर्महात्मानं पौरजानपदा जनाः ।

काकुत्स्थमभिजानीमः सम्यग् वदति राघवः ॥२०॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.111.20

Transliteration

te tam ūcur mahātmānaṃ paurajānapadā janāḥ |

kākutstham abhijānīmaḥ samyag vadati rāghavaḥ ||20||

Translation

शहर के लोग और गाँव के लोग भरत से बोले। उन्होंने कहा कि हम राम को अच्छे से जानते हैं। जो राम ने कहा है वो सही है।

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Word by Word

• ते: they
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• तम्: him
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• ऊचुः: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• महात्मानम्: the great-souled one
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (महान् आत्मा यस्य सः) used as epithet
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Bahuvrihi

• पौरजानपदाः: townsmen and villagers
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौर-जानपद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वः (paurāḥ ca jānāpadāḥ ca)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Dvandva

• जनाः: people
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; apposition to ‘पौरजानपदाः’
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• काकुत्स्थम्: Kakutstha (Rama)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काकुत्स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• अभिजानीमः: we know, recognize
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• सम्यक्: properly, rightly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)
• Role: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)

• वदति: speaks
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• राघवः: Raghava (Rama)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

Sandhi Notes

• तदोचुः = तम् + ऊचुः
• काकुत्स्थमभिजानीमः = काकुत्स्थम् + अभिजानीमः

Context

Those inhabitants from towns and villages replied to the magnanimous Bharata 'we know the scion of the Kakutha dynasty, Rama, very well. What he has said is proper'.

The teaching

Duties in tension

• लोक-हित (स्थिर शासन) बनाम पिता-वचन/प्रतिज्ञा-पालन

Ethical theme

राजधर्म एवं सत्यधर्म

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shanta (peace), with Vira (heroism)

Mood

Assenting, civic-trust, dharma-anchored

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Ethics
• Public testimony
• Rama’s integrity

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Rama (Kākutstha, Rāghava)
• paura (townspeople)
• jānapada (villagers/countryfolk)

FAQs

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

Truth and righteousness are validated by consistent character: the people affirm Rama’s words as ‘proper’ because his life aligns with dharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata asks the people to persuade Rama; instead, they support Rama’s stance and refuse to oppose him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s credibility (satya and steadiness in dharma), recognized publicly by those who know his nature.