Valmiki Ramayana 2.32.23 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 32, Shloka 23

द्वात्रिंशस्सर्गः

Gifts to Suyajna and the Brahmins; Trijata’s Petition and Rama’s Charity

Devanagari script

तत स्सपुरुषव्याघ्रस्तद्धनं लक्ष्मणः स्वयम्।।।।यथोक्तं ब्राह्मणेन्द्राणांमददाद्धनदो यथा।

Transliteration

tataḥ sa puruṣavyāghras tad dhanaṃ lakṣmaṇaḥ svayam | yathoktaṃ brāhmaṇendrāṇāṃ dadād dhanado yathā ||

Translation

Kemudian Lakṣmaṇa—harimau di antara manusia—sendiri menyerahkan harta itu kepada para brāhmaṇa terkemuka, tepat seperti yang diperintahkan, bagaikan Kubera sang dewa kekayaan menganugerahkan harta.

Word by Word

• ततः: thereupon
• ततः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/क्रमवाचक अव्यय (adverb: "then, thereafter")

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पुरुषव्याघ्रः: tiger among men, best of men
• पुरुषव्याघ्रः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa + vyāghra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ("पुरुषाणां व्याघ्रः" = tiger among men)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम; विशेषण (धनम्)

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• लक्ष्मणः: Lakshmana
• लक्ष्मणः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• स्वयम्: personally
• स्वयम्: Karta-viseshana (कर्तृविशेषण/Emphatic)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: स्वयम्-शब्दः (indeclinable: "personally")

• यथोक्तम्: as instructed
• यथोक्तम्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā + ukta (कृदन्त)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययरूपेण (adverbial: "as said/according to what was said")

• ब्राह्मणेन्द्राणाम्: of the foremost brahmins (to the best brahmins)
• ब्राह्मणेन्द्राणाम्: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ("ब्राह्मणानाम् इन्द्राः" = best among brahmins)

• अददात्: gave
• अददात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• धनदः: the wealth-giver (Kubera)
• धनदः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपमान/उपमेय-निर्देश (Kubera epithet)

• यथा: like
• यथा: Upamana (उपमान/Simile-marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक अव्यय ("like")

Context

Thereupon Lakshmana, a tiger among men, personally distributed like Kubera, gifts of riches to all those Indras among brahmins (best of brahmins) in accordance with the instructions of Rama.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• brāhmaṇas
• Kubera (Dhanada)

FAQs

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

Dharma is faithful execution of righteous instruction—charity (dāna) done correctly, to worthy recipients, and in accordance with a moral command.

What is the narrative situation?

Following Rāma’s directions, Lakṣmaṇa distributes wealth to eminent brāhmaṇas, ensuring the giving is orderly and proper.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Lakṣmaṇa’s obedience, diligence, and generosity—he does not delegate but gives personally.