Valmiki Ramayana 2.33.24-25: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 33, Shlokas 24-25

त्रयस्त्रिंशः सर्गः · Civic Lament and Rama’s Dutiful Approach to Daśaratha

Spoken by Lakshmana to RamaSetting: Ayodhyā (declaration about moving to forest)Places named: vana (forest)Decision-point: choosing forest-dwelling with Rāma

Devanagari script

तृणमांस फलादानां देशं व्यालमृगद्विजम् ॥२४॥

प्रपद्यतां हि कैकेयी सपुत्रा सह बान्धवैः ।

राघवेण वने सर्वे वयं वत्स्याम निर्वृताः ॥२५॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.33.24-25

Transliteration

tṛṇamāṃsaphalādānāṃ deśaṃ vyālamṛgadvijam ||24||

prapadyatāṃ hi kaikeyī saputrā saha bāndhavaiḥ |

rāghaveṇa vane sarve vayaṃ vatsyāma nirvṛtāḥ ||25||

Translation

कैकेयी अपने बेटे और अपने लोगों के साथ यह ज़मीन ले ले। यहाँ साँप, जंगली जानवर और पक्षी रहते हैं। हम लोग सब मिलके राम के साथ जंगल में रहेंगे। हमें कोई दुख नहीं है।

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Word by Word

• तृण-मांस-फल-आदानाम्: of grass-, flesh-, and fruit-eaters
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृण/मांस/फल (प्रातिपदिक) + आद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; 'आद' = eater; genitive plural qualifying deśam
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• देशम्: region/country
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• व्याल-मृग-द्विजम्: full of reptiles, beasts, and birds
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्याल (प्रातिपदिक) + मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व used adjectivally: 'having reptiles/beasts/birds'
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Compound: Dvandva

• प्रपद्यताम्: let her resort to/enter
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-पद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; (with subject kaikeyī)
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• हि: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), emphasis/causal nuance
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• कैकेयी: Kaikeyi
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैकेयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• स-पुत्रा: together with (her) son
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (कैकेयी); 'with her son'
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• सह: with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable)
• Role: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)

• बान्धवैः: with (her) relatives
• Type: Noun
• Root: बान्धव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन
• Role: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)

• राघवेण: with Rama
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन
• Role: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)

• वने: in the forest
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)

• सर्वे: all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (वयम्)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• वयम्: we
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• वत्स्याम: will live
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• निर्वृताः: content/at ease
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्वृत (प्रातिपदिक) / निर्-वृ (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त/विशेषण; predicate adjective of वयम्
• Role: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)

Sandhi Notes

• तृणमांसफलादानां = तृण-मांस-फल-आदानाम्
• व्यालमृगद्विजम् = व्याल-मृग-द्विजम्

Context

Let Kaikeyi along with her son and her relatives acquire that country which will be inhabited by birds and animals living on grass, fruits, and flesh. Withdrawn, we shall happily live in the forest along with Rama.

The teaching

Peace (nirvṛti) arises from righteous company and resolve, not from fertile land or royal comfort.

Duties in tension

• Loyalty to the reigning arrangement vs. loyalty to the rightful dhārmika heir
• Comfort and safety vs. principled companionship in hardship

Ethical theme

Rāja-dharma (legitimacy) and satsaṅga/tyāga

How it resolves

Chosen renunciation aligned with dharma

For your practice

Choose śreyas: keep company with the virtuous, accept austerity without resentment; cultivate contentment.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Vira (heroism), with Karuna (compassion)

Mood

Defiant, renunciatory, steadfast

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Maryada
• Ethics

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyi
• Raghava
• forest

FAQs

How does this verse reflect dharma in the Ayodhya episode?

The verse frames a dharmic response to injustice: rather than cling to power, the speaker proposes renunciation—choosing life with Rāma in the forest—thereby prioritizing righteousness and loyalty over kingship.

Where is satya (truth) implied in this verse?

Satya is implied in accepting the reality of exile and speaking plainly about consequences: Kaikeyī may keep the kingdom, while those committed to Rāma will live truthfully and consistently with their allegiance, without deceit or retaliation.