Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 86, Shloka 22

लक्ष्मणगुणवर्णनम्

Lakshmana’s Vigil and Guha’s Testimony

Devanagari script

अपिसत्यप्रतिज्ञेन सार्धं कुशलिना वयं।निवृत्ते समये ह्यस्मिन् सुखिताः प्रविशेमहि।।।।

Transliteration

api satyapratijñena sārdhaṃ kuśalinā vayam |

nivṛtte samaye hy asmin sukhitāḥ praviśemahi ||

Translation

Akankah kita kelak dapat memasuki (Ayodhyā) kembali dengan bahagia—bersama dia, dalam keadaan selamat sejahtera—setelah masa yang telah ditetapkan ini berakhir, ketika ia telah menepati ikrarnya dengan kebenaran?

Word by Word

• prabhātē: at dawn
• prabhātē: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• vimalē: when (the sun was) bright/clear
• vimalē: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vimala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; agreeing with sūryē

• sūryē: in/with the sun
• sūryē: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• kārayitvā: having made (them do)
• kārayitvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) causative √kāraya > kārayitvā (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (gerund/absolutive) of causative; ‘having caused (to be done)’

• jaṭāḥ: matted locks
• jaṭāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaṭā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), बहुवचन; object of kārayitvā

• ubhau: both (of them)
• ubhau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), द्विवचन; referring to the two (Rama and Lakshmana) as object of ‘caused’

• asmin: on this
• asmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक/पुं, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; demonstrative with tīrē

• bhāgīrathī-tīrē: on the bank of the Bhāgīrathī
• bhāgīrathī-tīrē: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāgīrathī (प्रातिपदिक) + tīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: भागीरथ्याः तीरम्

• sukham: comfortably
• sukham: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोग (accusative used adverbially) manner-adverb

• santāritau: were ferried across
• santāritau: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√tṝ (धातु) > santārita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) used predicatively; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘were ferried across’

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Kartṛ (कर्ता) / Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (करण/कर्ता-करणभाव), एकवचन

Context

Can we ever re-enter Ayodhya happily after safely fulfilling the vow and completing the term of exile?

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhyā (implied)
• Rāma (implied by satyapratijñena)

FAQs

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

Satya (truthfulness) as dharma: the hope of return is tied to the faithful completion of a vow, showing that rightful outcomes are sought through integrity, not shortcuts.

What is the narrative situation?

The speaker wonders anxiously whether they will reunite and return happily after the exile-term is completed and the vow is fulfilled.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfast commitment to truth and vows (pratijñā-pālana), even amid fear about the future.