Valmiki Ramayana 2.46.10: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 46, Shloka 10

तमसातीरवासः

Night on the Bank of the Tamasa and the Stratagem to Elude the Citizens

Devanagari script

अद्भिरेव तु सौमित्रे वत्स्याम्यद्य निशामिमाम्।एतध्दि रोचते मह्यं वन्येऽपि विविधे सति।।2.46.10।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.46.10

Transliteration

adbhir eva tu saumitre vatsyāmy adya niśām imām |

etad dhi rocate mahyaṃ vanye 'pi vividhe sati ||

Translation

Wahai Saumitri, malam ini aku akan bertahan dengan air saja. Inilah yang kupilih, meskipun tersedia beraneka ragam makanan hutan.

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Word by Word

• अद्भिः: with water
• अद्भिः: Karana (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्/अद् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘water’)
• Form: तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter; अप्-शब्दः विशेष)

• एव: only
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), अवधारणार्थ (only/just)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/discourse)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (concessive/contrast particle)

• सौमित्रे: O Saumitra (Lakshmana)
• सौमित्रे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौमित्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• वत्स्यामि: I will live
• वत्स्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु; ‘to dwell/live’)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अद्य: today
• अद्य: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण/time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• निशाम्: the night
• निशाम्: Desha/Kala-adhikarana (अधिकरण; duration as object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• इमाम्: this
• इमाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies निशाम्)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (कर्ता/subject of रोचते)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/discourse)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), निश्चयार्थ (indeed)

• रोचते: pleases
• रोचते: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुच् (धातु; ‘to please’)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; ‘is pleasing’

• मह्यम्: to me
• मह्यम्: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/dative experiencer)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान (recipient/experiencer)

• वन्ये: in forest foods
• वन्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; ‘in forest-provisions’

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), अपि=even/also (concessive)

• विविधे: varied
• विविधे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; विशेषण (qualifies वन्ये)

• सति: being (available)
• सति: Adhikarana (अधिकरण; locative absolute)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (Present participle), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute) = ‘when/though being available’

Context

O Lakshmana, I shall live this night on water alone. I prefer it, though various kinds of forest products are available.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa

FAQs

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

Voluntary restraint: Rāma embraces simplicity as part of dharma in exile, choosing minimal sustenance despite available comforts.

What is the narrative situation?

On their first halt by the Tamasā, Rāma tells Lakṣmaṇa he will fast on water for the night.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Temperance and ascetic resolve: Rāma demonstrates control over desire and readiness for forest-life discipline.