Valmiki Ramayana 2.46.23 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 46, Shloka 23

तमसातीरवासः

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

Devanagari script

पौरा ह्यात्मकृताद्दुःखाद्विप्रमोच्या नृपात्मजैः।न तु खल्वात्मना योज्या दुःखेन पुरवासिनः।।2.46.23।।

Transliteration

paurā hy ātma-kṛtād duḥkhād vipramocyā nṛpātmajaiḥ |

na tu khalv ātmanā yojyā duḥkhena pura-vāsinaḥ ||2.46.23||

Translation

まことに、都人は自ら招いた苦しみから王子たちによって解き放たれるべきである。だが我らのために、城の民を苦しみに結びつけてはならぬ。

Word by Word

• पौराः: citizens
• पौराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

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

• आत्मकृतात्: self-caused
• आत्मकृतात्: Hetu-apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मन् + कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: आत्मना कृतम् (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (दुःखम् implied) / अथवा पुंलिङ्ग (दुःखात् सह), पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (दुःखात्)

• दुःखात्: from suffering
• दुःखात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• विप्रमोच्याः: to be freed/released
• विप्रमोच्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-प्र-√मुच् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्/य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: ‘to be released’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (पौराः)

• नृपात्मजैः: by the king's sons
• नृपात्मजैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप + आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: नृपस्य आत्मजाः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोधार्थक-अव्यय (but)

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

• आत्मना: by oneself
• आत्मना: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• योज्याः: to be subjected/joined
• योज्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्/य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: ‘to be joined’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; निषेधेन सह विधेय-विशेषणम् (पुरवासिनः)

• दुःखेन: with suffering
• दुःखेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• पुरवासिनः: city-dwellers
• पुरवासिनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर + वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: पुरे वासिनः (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Context

The prince should deliver the citizens from the sufferings caused by themselves but should not make them suffer on their account.

Characters & Entities

• citizens (paurāḥ/puravāsinaḥ)

FAQs

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

Rāja-dharma: rulers (and princes) exist to relieve public distress, not to transfer their private burden onto the people.

What is the narrative situation?

As Rama prepares for exile, he reflects that the citizens should not be forced into further suffering because of his departure.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Protective leadership and accountability—placing the welfare of subjects above personal circumstance.