Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 111, Shloka 4

अयोध्याकाण्डे एकादशोत्तरशततमः सर्गः

Sarga 111: Counsel on Gurus, Parental Debt, and Bharata’s Protest

Devanagari script

सोऽहं ते पितुराचार्यस्तव चैव परन्तप।मम त्वं वचनं कुर्वन्नातिवर्तेस्सतां गतिम्।।।।

Transliteration

so 'haṃ te pitur ācāryas tava caiva parantapa | mama tvaṃ vacanaṃ kurvan nātivartes satāṃ gatim ||

Translation

ಪರಂತಪನೇ! ನಾನು ನಿನ್ನ ತಂದೆಯ ಆಚಾರ್ಯನೂ ನಿನ್ನ ಆಚಾರ್ಯನೂ ಆಗಿದ್ದೇನೆ. ನೀನು ನನ್ನ ವಚನವನ್ನು ಪಾಲಿಸಿದರೆ ಸಜ್ಜನರ ಮಾರ್ಗವನ್ನು ಮೀರುವುದಿಲ್ಲ.

Word by Word

• सः: that (person)
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-प्रयोग (1st person pronoun), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• ते: of you/your
• ते: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) एकवचन (Singular) (enclitic)

• पितुः: of (your) father
• पितुः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• आचार्यः: teacher/preceptor
• आचार्यः: प्रेडिकेट-नाम (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तव: of you/your
• तव: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: वाक्य-सम्बन्ध (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: वाक्य-सम्बन्ध (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphasis)

• परन्तप: O scorcher of foes
• परन्तप: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परन्तप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष (foe-scorcher)

• मम: my
• मम: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• वचनम्: command/word
• वचनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of कुर्वन्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• कुर्वन्: doing, carrying out
• कुर्वन्: कर्ता (Agent participle referring to त्वम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: वाक्य-सम्बन्ध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation)

• अतिवर्तेः: you will not/should not transgress
• अतिवर्तेः: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अति-वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्/लुट्-न (here: विधिलिङ्/आशीर्लिङ्-प्रायः? actually लोट्-निषेधार्थे भविष्यदर्थ-प्रयोगः), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; निषेधेन 'नातिवर्तेः' = 'you will not transgress/should not transgress'

• सताम्: of the virtuous
• सताम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• गतिम्: path, course
• गतिम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

Context

I was preceptor to your father and also to you. O destroyer of foes, by following my words, you will not transgress the path of the virtuous.

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Rāma
• Daśaratha

FAQs

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

Respect for dharmic authority: the guru’s guidance is presented as a safeguard that keeps one aligned with the conduct of the virtuous (satām gati).

What is the narrative situation?

Vasiṣṭha, as royal preceptor, advises Rāma during the tense succession/exile dispute, urging him to act in a way consistent with established dharma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Humility and discipline: Rāma is urged to accept instruction and remain within the ethical boundaries honored by the righteous.