Valmiki Ramayana 2.14.8: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 8

सत्यपाशः

Kaikeyi’s Demand and the Noose of the King’s Promise

Devanagari script

सत्यं समनुवर्तस्व यदि धर्मे धृता मतिः।सफलस्स वरो मेऽस्तु वरदो ह्यसि सत्तम।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.14.8

Transliteration

satyaṃ samanuvartasva yadi dharme dhṛtā matiḥ | saphalaḥ sa varo me ’stu varado hy asi sattama ||

Translation

ನಿನ್ನ ಮನಸ್ಸು ಧರ್ಮದಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ಥಿರವಾಗಿದ್ದರೆ ಸತ್ಯವನ್ನು ಅನುಸರಿಸು; ನನಗೆ ನೀಡಿದ ವರವು ಫಲಿಸಲಿ—ಓ ಸತ್ತಮ, ನೀನು ವರದಾತನೇ ಆಗಿದ್ದೀಯೆ.

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Word by Word

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• समनुवर्तस्व: follow/act in accordance with
• समनुवर्तस्व: Kriya (क्रिया/Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अनु + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय (conditional conjunction)

• धर्मे: in dharma
• धर्मे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative sphere)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• धृता: fixed/held firm
• धृता: Karta (कर्ता—qualifying)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘स्थिरा/धारिता’ (qualifies मतिः)

• मतिः: mind/intention
• मतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सफलः: fulfilled/successful
• सफलः: Karta (कर्ता—qualifying)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सफल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies वरः)

• सः: that
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—determiner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वरः: boon
• वरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; enclitic form

• अस्तु: let it be
• अस्तु: Kriya (क्रिया/Optative command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वरदः: boon-giver
• वरदः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक) + द (धातु/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष: वरं ददाति इति; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (assertive/causal particle)

• असि: you are
• असि: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सत्तम: O best of the good
• सत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तमप् (तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; उत्तम-तुल्यतम (superlative)

Context

O excellent one, if your mind is firmly fixed in righteousness, then by following it fulfil the boon granted to me.You are the bestower of boons indeed

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha
• Satya (Truth)
• Dharma
• Boon (vara)

FAQs

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

Dharma is framed as fidelity to satya and to one’s pledged word: if the king claims righteousness, he must make his promise effective by fulfilling the boon.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī presses Daśaratha to honor his earlier promise of granting her boons, using dharma and truth as moral leverage.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The kingly virtue of keeping one’s word (satya and pratijñā-pālana), even under personal distress.