Valmiki Ramayana 2.34.44-45: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 34, Shlokas 44-45

रामदर्शनार्थं दारानयनम् · The Queens Summoned; Rama’s Leave

Taking and Dasaratha’s Collapse

Spoken by Rama to King DaśarathaSetting: Ayodhya palace (addressing the king)Final reassurance before exile

Devanagari script

मा विमर्शो वसुमती भरताय प्रदीयताम् ॥४४॥

न हि मे काङ्क्षितं राज्यं सुखमात्मनि वा प्रियम् ।

यथानिदेशं कर्तुं वै तवैव रघुनन्दन ॥४५॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.34.44-45

Transliteration

mā vimarśo vasumatī bharatāya pradīyatām ||44||

na hi me kāṅkṣitaṁ rājyaṁ sukham ātmani vā priyam |

yathā-nideśaṁ kartuṁ vai tavaiva raghunandana ||45||

Translation

ज़्यादा मत सोचो। यह दुनिया भरत को दे दो। मुझे राज्य नहीं चाहिए, ना कोई अपना सुख। मेरा सबसे बड़ा काम है आपका हुकुम मानना, रघु कुल के प्यारे।

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Word by Word

• mā: do not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (prohibitive particle)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/prohibition)

• vimarśaḥ: brooding/deliberation
• Type: Noun
• Root: vimarśa (विमर्श) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; निषेधार्थे ‘मा’ सह (let there be no brooding)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)

• vasumatī: the earth
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasumatī (वसुमती) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)

• bharatāya: to Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (भरत) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन
• Role: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)

• pradīyatām: let it be given
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√dā (दा) (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), कर्मणि (passive), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)

• na: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negator)

• hi: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (indeed/for)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)

• me: my/to me
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद्) (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)

• kāṅkṣitam: desired
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāṅkṣita (प्रातिपदिक; √kāṅkṣ)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (desired), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-complement)

• rājyam: kingdom
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājya (राज्य) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)

• sukham: pleasure
• Type: Noun
• Root: sukha (सुख) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)

• ātmani: for myself/in myself
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (आत्मन्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन; ‘for myself/in myself’
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Reference)

• vā: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (or)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/alternative)

• priyam: dear
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priya (प्रिय) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-complement)

• yathā-nideśam: according to the command
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā-nideśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास: यथा + निदेशम्; अव्ययवत् (according to the command)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Compound: Avyayibhava

• kartum: to do/carry out
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ) (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive)
• Role: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)

• vai: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थ (indeed)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)

• tava: your
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (युष्मद्) (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)

• eva: only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (only)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)

• raghunandana: O delight of the Raghu race
• Type: Noun
• Root: raghu-nandana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: रघोः नन्दनः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

Sandhi Notes

• mā vimarśō → mā vimarśaḥ
• yathānidēśaṃ → yathā-nideśam (avyayībhāva)
• tavaitva → tava eva

Context

Do not brood. Bestow the kingdom on Bharata. I do not have any desire for the kingdom or pleasure. Nothing is dearer to me than compliance with your order, O Delight of the Raghu race!

The teaching

The highest 'priya' is not pleasure but fidelity to dharma; consoling others while holding firm to duty is true strength.

Duties in tension

• Father’s love/attachment vs kingly obligation to keep promise
• Rama’s rightful claim vs dharma of obedience
• Pursuit of sukha vs commitment to duty

Ethical theme

Satya; pitṛ-bhakti; niṣkāma-karma; rājadharma

How it resolves

Consolation plus renunciation: transfer rule to Bharata; execute command

For your practice

Daily practice of offering personal preferences into dharma: a template for surrender (śaraṇāgati-bhāva) and for reducing craving/aversion in sādhanā.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shanta (peace), with Karuna (compassion)

Mood

Consoling, renunciant, steadfast

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Renunciation
• Maryada
• Ethics
• Itihasa

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Daśaratha
• Bharata
• Raghu lineage (Raghu)

FAQs

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

Dharma as selflessness and duty: Rāma rejects personal gain and prioritizes obedience to rightful authority and truth-bound obligation.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma urges Daśaratha not to grieve or hesitate and to install Bharata, while Rāma commits to following the king’s order.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vairāgya (detachment from power/pleasure) and niṣṭhā (firm commitment) to the father’s command.