Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 48, Shloka 18

अयोध्यायाः शोकवर्णनम्

Ayodhya’s Lament and Civic Desolation

Devanagari script

वयं परिचरिष्यामः सीतां यूयं तु राघवम्।इति पौरस्त्रियो भर्तृ़न् दुखार्तास्तत्तदब्रुवन्।।2.48.18।।

Transliteration

vayaṃ paricariṣyāmaḥ sītāṃ yūyaṃ tu rāghavam |

iti paurastriyo bhartṝn duḥkhārtās tat-tad abruvan || 2.48.18 ||

Translation

“Kami akan melayani Sītā; dan kalian hendaklah melayani Rāghava (Rāma).” Demikianlah para perempuan kota, tersiksa oleh duka, berkata berulang-ulang kepada suami mereka dengan berbagai ungkapan.

Word by Word

• vayam: we
• vayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Prathamā, Bahuvacana

• paricariṣyāmaḥ: will serve / attend
• paricariṣyāmaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari + car (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ (Simple Future/लृट्), Uttama puruṣa, Bahuvacana, Parasmaipada

• sītām: Sita
• sītām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• yūyam: you (pl.)
• yūyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Prathamā, Bahuvacana

• tu: but / and (as for)
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, Contrastive particle (विरोध/निपात)

• rāghavam: Rāghava (Rama)
• rāghavam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, Quotation marker (इत्यादि-निपात)

• paura-striyaḥ: city-women
• paura-striyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paura (प्रातिपदिक) + strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) = purasya striyaḥ; Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana

• bhartṝn: husbands
• bhartṝn: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Bahuvacana

• duḥkha-ārtāḥ: distressed with sorrow
• duḥkha-ārtāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक) + ārta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa = duḥkhena ārtāḥ; Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; Viśeṣaṇa of paurastriyaḥ

• tat-tat: various (words)
• tat-tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya-like distributive repetition (पुनरुक्ति/वितरण) meaning 'this and that / various'

• abruvan: said / spoke
• abruvan: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (Imperfect/Past/लङ्), Prathama puruṣa, Bahuvacana, Parasmaipada

Context

We will serve Sita. You will serve Rama. Such were the words of the distressed women of the city to their husbands. (They continued).

Characters & Entities

• Sita
• Rama (Rāghava)

FAQs

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

Sevā as Dharma: service to the righteous (Rama) and to the virtuous (Sita) is presented as a concrete moral response to suffering, transforming grief into duty and support.

What is the narrative situation?

As the citizens consider accompanying Rama, the women of Ayodhya urge their husbands toward service of Rama while they themselves pledge service to Sita.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sita’s dignity as one worthy of devoted attendance, and Rama’s leadership as one worthy of loyal service—both grounded in Satya and Dharma.