Valmiki Ramayana 2.24.9: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 24, Shloka 9

कौशल्यारामसंवादः

Kausalya–Rama Dialogue on Exile-Dharma

Devanagari script

कथं हि धेनु स्स्वं वत्सं गच्छन्तं नानुगच्छति।अहं त्वाऽनुगमिष्यामि यत्र पुत्र गमिष्यसि।।2.24.9

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.24.9

Transliteration

kathaṃ hi dhenuḥ svaṃ vatsaṃ gacchantaṃ nānugacchati |

ahaṃ tvām anugamiṣyāmi yatra putra gamiṣyasi || 2.24.9 ||

Translation

Bagaimana mungkin seekor induk sapi tidak mengikuti anaknya yang pergi berjalan? Demikian pula, wahai putraku, ke mana pun engkau pergi, aku akan mengikutimu.

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Word by Word

• katham: how
• katham: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative adverb)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

• dhenuḥ: a cow
• dhenuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhenu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (F), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन (Singular)

• svam: its own
• svam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (M), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifies vatsaṃ: its own)

• vatsam: calf
• vatsam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vatsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (M), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular)

• gacchantam: going, wandering
• gacchantam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gam (धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ) → gacchant (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुल्लिङ्ग (M), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifies vatsaṃ)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध (negation particle)

• anugacchati: follows
• anugacchati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-gam (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन (Singular)

• tvā: you
• tvā: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular)

• anugamiṣyāmi: will follow
• anugamiṣyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-gam (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular)

• yatra: wherever
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक/सम्बन्धबोधक (relative adverb: where/wherever)

• putra: O son
• putra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (M), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन (Singular)

• gamiṣyasi: you will go
• gamiṣyasi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular)

Context

Who will believe that the virtuous and affectionate scion of the Raghus is exiled this way by the king? Who will not tremble in fear to hear this?

Characters & Entities

• Kausalyā
• Rāma

FAQs

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

It presents familial dharma—especially a mother’s protective duty and attachment—as a natural moral impulse, even when it collides with the demands of royal duty and exile.

What is the narrative situation?

Kausalyā expresses her intent to accompany Rāma to the forest, arguing by a natural analogy (cow and calf).

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Kausalyā’s unwavering love and readiness for self-sacrifice for her son.