Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 71, Shloka 20

जनककुलवर्णनम् तथा सीतोर्मिलादानम्

Janaka’s Genealogy and the Bestowal of Sita and Urmila

Devanagari script

कनीयानेष मे भ्राता अहं ज्येष्ठो महामुने।ददामि परमप्रीतो वध्वौ ते मुनिपुङ्गव।।।।सीतां रामाय भद्रं ते ऊर्मिला लक्ष्मणाय च।

Transliteration

kanīyān eṣa me bhrātā ahaṃ jyeṣṭho mahāmune |

dadāmi paramaprīto vadhvau te munipuṅgava ||

sītāṃ rāmāya bhadraṃ te ūrmilā lakṣmaṇāya ca |

Translation

大いなる聖仙よ、こちらは我が弟、そして私は兄でございます。仙人の中の最勝者よ、至上の歓喜をもってこの二人の花嫁をお授けいたします。シーターをラーマに—あなたに吉祥あれ—、そしてウールミラーをもラクシュマナに。

Word by Word

• kanīyān: younger
• kanīyān: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kanīyas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; comparative 'younger' qualifying eṣa/bhrātā

• eṣaḥ: this (one)
• eṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• me: my
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (6th), Singular

• bhrātā: brother
• bhrātā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative, Singular

• jyeṣṭhaḥ: elder
• jyeṣṭhaḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jyeṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; predicate adjective to aham

• mahāmune: O great sage
• mahāmune: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular; karmadhāraya 'great sage'

• dadāmi: I give
• dadāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्, Present), Parasmaipada, 1st Person, Singular

• paramaprītaḥ: very pleased
• paramaprītaḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama + prīta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; karmadhāraya 'extremely pleased' qualifying speaker (aham)

• vadhvau: two brides
• vadhvau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadhū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Dual (द्विवचन)

• te: to you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Dative (4th), Singular

• munipuṅgava: O foremost sage
• munipuṅgava: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni + puṅgava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular; tatpuruṣa 'bull among sages'

• sītām: Sītā
• sītām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• rāmāya: to Rāma
• rāmāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• bhadram: prosperity, good fortune
• bhadram: Prayojana/Āśīḥ (आशीः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; benedictive usage

• te: to you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Dative (4th), Singular

• ūrmilā: Ūrmilā
• ūrmilā: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ūrmilā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (proper noun), Accusative, Singular (context: second bride given)

• lakṣmaṇāya: to Lakṣmaṇa
• lakṣmaṇāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• ca: and
• ca: N/A
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

Context

O Great ascetic (Vasishta), this one is my youger brother and I am the elder one. O pre-eminent among ascetics! with immense pleasure I am giving these maidens, Sita to Rama and Urmila to Lakshmana. Be blessed!

Characters & Entities

• Janaka
• Kuśadhvaja
• Vasiṣṭha
• Sītā
• Rāma
• Ūrmilā
• Lakṣmaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma as sanctified giving (kanyā-pradāna) with proper authority and joy: the marriage is framed as a righteous act performed openly, with blessings and adherence to social and ritual order.

What is the narrative situation?

After establishing lineage and circumstances, Janaka formally gives Sītā to Rāma and Ūrmilā to Lakṣmaṇa in the presence of Vasiṣṭha and the assembly.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Generosity joined with propriety—Janaka’s glad, lawful fulfillment of paternal duty, honoring both families and the sages’ guidance.