Valmiki Ramayana 2.116.5 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 116, Shloka 5

तपस्विनाम् औत्सुक्यं राक्षसत्रासश्च

Ascetics’ Anxiety and the Fear of Rakshasas

Devanagari script

न कच्चिद्भगवन्किञ्चित्पूर्ववृत्तमिदं मयि।दृश्यते विकृतं येन विक्रियन्ते तपस्विनः।।2.116.5।।

Transliteration

na kaccid bhagavan kiñcit pūrvavṛttam idaṃ mayi | dṛśyate vikṛtaṃ yena vikriyante tapasvinaḥ || 2.116.5 ||

Translation

“ಭಗವನ್, ನನ್ನ ಪೂರ್ವವೃತ್ತದಲ್ಲಿ ಯಾವುದಾದರೂ ದೋಷವೋ ವಿಕೃತಿಯೋ ನಿಮಗೆ ಕಾಣುತ್ತಿದೆಯೇ? ನನ್ನಲ್ಲಿ ಏನಾದರೂ ಬದಲಾವಣೆ ಉಂಟಾಗಿ ಈ ತಪಸ್ವಿಗಳು ವ್ಯಾಕುಲರಾಗಿರುವರೇ?”

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• कच्चित्: is it possible that
• कच्चित्: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक निपात (interrogative particle: ‘whether, perhaps’)

• भगवन्: O revered one
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• किञ्चित्: anything
• किञ्चित्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किञ्चित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; अनिर्णीत-कारक (context: ‘anything’)

• पूर्व-वृत्तम्: former conduct
• पूर्व-वृत्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (पूर्वं वृत्तम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘किञ्चित्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘दृश्यते’ इत्यस्य कर्तृस्थानी (impersonal passive subject)

• मयि: in me
• मयि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘in me’

• दृश्यते: is seen/appears
• दृश्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive sense: ‘is seen’)

• विकृतम्: distorted/abnormal
• विकृतम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विकृत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying implied ‘किञ्चित्/पूर्ववृत्तम्’)

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; हेतु/करणार्थे (by which/whereby)

• विक्रियन्ते: are disturbed
• विक्रियन्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; कर्मणि/भावे अर्थः (are perturbed/altered)

• तपस्विनः: ascetics
• तपस्विनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Context

Having observed their anxiety, Rama apprehending somethig in his mind approached the chief of the hermitage with folded palms and said:

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• kulapati (sage)

FAQs

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

Dharma is grounded in honest self-audit: Rāma seeks truth about himself first, asking whether his behavior caused harm or fear to the righteous.

What is the narrative situation?

After noticing the sages’ suspicious behavior, Rāma questions the hermitage-chief to learn whether he has unknowingly committed any impropriety.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s satya-oriented humility—he prioritizes truth and correction over defensiveness.