Valmiki Ramayana 2.58.10 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 58, Shloka 10

अष्टपञ्चाशः सर्गः (Sarga 58)

Daśaratha Questions Sumantra; Messages from the Forest Threshold

Devanagari script

सिद्धार्थः खलु सूत त्वं येन दृष्टौ ममाऽत्मजौ।वनान्तं प्रविशन्तौ तावश्विनाविवमन्दरम्।।।।

Transliteration

siddhārthaḥ khalu sūta tvaṁ yena dṛṣṭau mamātmajau |

vanāntaṁ praviśantau tāv aśvināv iva mandaram ||

Translation

「まことに、御者よ、そなたは幸いである。わが二人の子が森のはずれへ入ってゆくのを見たのだから。まるでアシュヴィン双神がマンダラへ近づくかのように。」

Word by Word

• siddhārthaḥ: successful/blessed
• siddhārthaḥ: Karta (कर्ता-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: siddha (कृदन्त/PPP of √sidh) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: bahuvrīhi (‘whose purpose is accomplished’); Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate of tvaṃ

• khalu: indeed
• khalu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: khalu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphatic particle

• sūta: O charioteer
• sūta: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana, Ekavacana

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• yena: by whom (by you)
• yena: Karaṇa (करण/agent-instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma; Puṃliṅga/Napuṃsakaliṅga, Tṛtīyā (Instr/3rd), Ekavacana; relative pronoun

• dṛṣṭau: seen
• dṛṣṭau: Karta (कर्ता-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Kta (PPP), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana; predicate of ātmajau

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma; Ṣaṣṭhī (Gen/6th), Ekavacana

• ātmajau: two sons
• ātmajau: Karta (कर्ता; subject of dṛṣṭau)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātmaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana

• vanāntam: forest-edge/interior region
• vanāntam: Karma (कर्म; goal with praviśantau)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: tatpuruṣa (vanasya antaḥ); Napuṃsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• praviśantau: entering
• praviśantau: Karta (कर्ता-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√viś (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Śatṛ (present active participle), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana; viśeṣaṇa of ātmajau/tau

• tau: those two
• tau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana

• aśvinau: the Aśvins
• aśvinau: Upamāna (उपमान/standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā (उपमा-marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; upamā-particle (simile marker)

• mandaram: Mandara (mountain)
• mandaram: Upameya-sambandha (उपमेय-संबन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mandara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; object with implied verb (e.g., ‘lifting/entering’ in simile)

Context

You are blessed indeed, O charioteer to have seen my sons entering the outskirts of the forest like Aswinis stepping into the region of the Mandara mountain.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Sumantra
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Aśvinau (Aśvins)
• Mandara

FAQs

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

Dharma is framed through reverence for the righteous: Daśaratha treats the sight of his dharmic sons—even entering exile—as spiritually significant.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha speaks to Sumantra, acknowledging that Sumantra has witnessed Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa proceeding into the forest.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Veneration for virtue and filial attachment: Daśaratha elevates his sons’ conduct and honors the witness who saw them.