Valmiki Ramayana 2.18.35: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 18, Shloka 35

अष्टादशः सर्गः

Kaikeyī Discloses the Boons: Exile to Daṇḍaka and Bharata’s Consecration

Devanagari script

सन्निदेशे पितुस्तिष्ठ यथा तेन प्रतिश्रुतम्।त्वयाऽरण्यं प्रवेष्टव्यं नव वर्षाणि पञ्च च।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.18.35

Transliteration

sannideśe pituḥ tiṣṭha yathā tena pratiśrutam |

tvayā araṇyaṃ praveṣṭavyaṃ nava varṣāṇi pañca ca ||2.18.35||

Translation

ತಂದೆಯ ಆಜ್ಞೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ಥಿರನಾಗಿ ನಿಲ್ಲು; ಅವನು ಹೇಗೆ ಪ್ರತಿಜ್ಞೆ ಮಾಡಿದನೋ ಹಾಗೆ. ನೀನು ಒಂಬತ್ತು ವರ್ಷಗಳೂ ಇನ್ನೂ ಐದು—ಹದಿನಾಲ್ಕು ವರ್ಷ—ಅರಣ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ಪ್ರವೇಶಿಸಲೇಬೇಕು.

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Word by Word

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional)

• सत्य-प्रतिज्ञम्: true to his promise
• सत्य-प्रतिज्ञम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रतिज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (सत्या प्रतिज्ञा यस्य/सत्यप्रतिज्ञः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्—पितरम् (to make father true-to-his-promise)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पितरम्: (your) father
• पितरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कर्तुम्: to make
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive)

• इच्छसि: you wish
• इच्छसि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• आत्मानम्: yourself
• आत्मानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• नरश्रेष्ठ: O best of men
• नरश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (नरेषु श्रेष्ठः), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• मम: my
• मम: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• वाक्यम्: statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्—वाक्यम्

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

Context

Abide by your father's command. As promised by him go to the forest for fourteen years.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Rāma
• Daśaratha
• forest (araṇya)

FAQs

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

Dharma as obedience to a legitimate paternal/royal command, grounded in satya—keeping a pledged term even when it demands hardship.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī articulates the specific condition of the boon: Rāma must go to the forest for fourteen years.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The virtue targeted is Rāma’s steadfast compliance with duty (pitṛ-ājñā-pālana), which becomes the hallmark of his righteousness.