Valmiki Ramayana 2.14.25-26: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 14, Shlokas 25-26
सत्यपाशः · Kaikeyi’s Demand and the Noose of the King’s Promise
Setting: Ayodhyā palace (finest palace quarters; inner precincts)Places named: Ayodhyā, purottama (best palace quarters)Movement within palace precincts (approach/entry)
ततः प्रभातां रजनीमुदिते च दिवाकरे ।
पुण्ये नक्षत्रयोगे च मुहूर्ते च समाहिते ॥२५॥
वसिष्ठो गुणसम्पन्न श्शिष्यै परिवृतस्तदा ।
उपगृह्याशु सम्भारान्प्रविवेश पुरोत्तमम् ॥२६॥
tataḥ prabhātāṃ rajanīm udite ca divākare |
puṇye nakṣatra-yoge ca muhūrte ca samāhite ||25||
vasiṣṭho guṇa-sampannaḥ śiṣyaiḥ parivṛtas tadā |
upagṛhyāśu sambhārān praviveśa purottamam ||26||
जब रात गई और सूरज निकला, तब एक अच्छा टाइम आया। नखत भी ठीक था। रिशि वशिष्ठ अपने शिश्यों के साथ आए। वो सब सामान ले के पैलेस में गए।
Sandhi Notes
- रजनीमुदिते = रजनीम् + उदिते
- उदिते च दिवाकरे = (सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध/locative absolute)
- गुणसम्पन्नः = गुणैः सम्पन्नः
- शिष्यै परिवृतस्तदा = शिष्यैः + परिवृतः + तदा
- उपगृह्याशु = उपगृह्य + आशु
- सम्भारान्प्रविवेश = सम्भारान् + प्रविवेश
- पुरोत्तमम् = पुर-उत्तमम्
The night dawned. Ths Sun rose. The auspicious time with the sacred star in (favourable) conjunction arrived. The virtuous Vasistha, surrounded by his disciples, soon entered the best of abodes with the articles collected (for the ceremony).
The teaching
Right timing and careful preparation reflect reverence for order (vidhi) and the guiding role of the guru in public rites.
- Ethical theme
- Ācārya-dharma; ritual propriety (vidhi)
For your practice
Observance of auspicious discipline (niyama) and honoring the teacher; aligning daily acts with clarity at dawn.
Mood and themes
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace), with Adbhuta (wonder)
- Mood
- Auspicious, ritual-ready, ordered
Themes
- Dharma
- Itihāsa
- Ritual Order
- Auspicious Time
- Rājābhiṣeka
Alignment of action with auspicious time symbolizes harmonizing individual karma with cosmic order; yet the irony of impending tragedy highlights māyā’s unpredictability.
Taittirīya’s emphasis on proper performance (vidhi) and reverence to teacher (ācārya devo bhava) echoed in the prominence of Vasiṣṭha.
Prātaḥkāla
Sunrise; auspicious nakṣatra-yoga and well-composed muhūrta
- Vashishtha and Dasharatha
- Royal preceptor guiding king’s rites/state acts (supportive)
- Vashishtha and Disciples
- Guru-disciple; ritual entourage (benevolent)
Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 2.15-2.16 (ritual preparations around coronation context); Mahābhārata (Śānti/Anuśāsana) on muhūrta and nakṣatra considerations for rites
Vedic jyotiṣa concepts: nakṣatra-yoga, muhūrta selection for saṃskāra/abhiṣeka
Earlier Ayodhyākāṇḍa coronation preparations (2.2-2.4); Contrast with 2.14.22-24: auspicious time amid moral crisis
Mixed: Anuṣṭup base with narrative expansion (śloka units across pādas); overall epic narrative meter
Narrative
Bright, steady udatta at 'उदिते च दिवाकरे' and measured cadence on 'पुण्ये नक्षत्रयोगे'
FAQs
Dharma is also maintained through proper rites and disciplined order; the text shows the coronation proceeding according to sacred timing and priestly responsibility.
Morning arrives on the day set for the consecration; Vasiṣṭha enters with disciples and ritual materials, indicating that preparations continue despite the private crisis.
Vasiṣṭha’s steadiness and competence in sacred duty—ritual precision, readiness, and adherence to auspicious timing.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Valmiki Ramayana in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
