Valmiki Ramayana 2.16.41 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 16, Shloka 41

सुमन्त्रदर्शनम् तथा रामस्य राजदर्शनाय प्रस्थानम्

Sumantra Meets Rama; Rama Departs to See the King

Devanagari script

तया सुचरितं देव्या पुरा नूनं महत्तपः।।।।रोहिणीव शशाङ्केन रामसंयोगमाप या।

Transliteration

tayā sucaritaṃ devyā purā nūnaṃ mahattapaḥ |

rohiṇīva śaśāṅkena rāmasaṃyogam āpa yā ||

Translation

まことに、かの気高き御方は昔、大いなる苦行を修められたに違いない。ゆえに羅摩との結びを得たのだ――ローヒニーが月と結ばれるように。

Word by Word

• tayā: by her (by that lady)
• tayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण/हेतु), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम् (Instrumental singular, feminine)

• sucaritam: good conduct / well-performed (deeds)
• sucaritam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su-carita (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √car (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तं (past participial noun/adjective used substantively)

• devyā: by the lady (the princess)
• devyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (Instrumental singular)

• purā: formerly / in the past
• purā: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (temporal adverb)

• nūnam: surely
• nūnam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/भाव)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nūnam (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (particle of certainty)

• mahat: great
• mahat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तपः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम् (agreeing with tapaḥ)

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (Nom/Acc sg)

• rohiṇī: Rohiṇī
• rohiṇī: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rohiṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (subject of implied comparison)

• iva: like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/भाव)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्ययम् (comparative particle)

• śaśāṅkena: with the moon
• śaśāṅkena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaśāṅka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (Instrumental singular)

• rāma-saṃyogam: union with Rama
• rāma-saṃyogam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃyoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (rāmasya saṃyogaḥ)

• āpa: obtained
• āpa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √āp (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• yā: she who
• yā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्ययः (relative pronoun: 'she who')

Context

Sita was united with Rama like Rohini with the Moon surely because of her great austerities performed in the past. (They observed).

Characters & Entities

• Sita
• Rama
• Rohini
• Moon (Śaśāṅka)

FAQs

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

The verse reflects the karmic-ethical idea that virtue and self-discipline (tapas) bear fitting results—here, the ‘deserved’ companionship of a righteous spouse.

What is the narrative situation?

Ayodhya’s women interpret Sītā’s good fortune—her union with Rama—as the fruit of past austerities, using a celestial simile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s spiritual merit and disciplined virtue (tapas), understood as the foundation of her auspicious destiny.