Valmiki Ramayana 2.4.13 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 4, Shloka 13

अयोध्याकाण्डे चतुर्थः सर्गः

Rāma Summoned; Pushya Coronation Decision

Devanagari script

जातमिष्टमपत्यं मे त्वमद्यानुपमं भुवि।दत्तमिष्टमधीतं च मया पुरुषसत्तम।।2.4.13।।

Transliteration

jātam iṣṭam apatyaṃ me tvam adyānupamaṃ bhuvi | dattam iṣṭam adhītaṃ ca mayā puruṣasattama || 2.4.13 ||

Translation

“ಪುರುಷೋತ್ತಮ, ಇಂದು ನೀನೇ ನನಗೆ ಇಷ್ಟವಾದ, ಪ್ರಿಯವಾದ ಸಂತಾನವಾಗಿ—ಭೂಮಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅನುಪಮವಾಗಿ—ಲಭಿಸಿದ್ದೀಯೆ. ನಾನು ದಾನಗಳನ್ನು ನೀಡಿದ್ದೇನೆ, ಯಜ್ಞಗಳನ್ನು ನೆರವೇರಿಸಿದ್ದೇನೆ, ಮತ್ತು ವೇದಾಧ್ಯಯನವನ್ನೂ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದೇನೆ.”

Word by Word

• जातम्: born
• जातम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त, past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘has been born’ (apathyam…jātam)

• इष्टम्: desired/dear
• इष्टम्: Karta-dharma (कर्तृधर्म/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अपत्यस्य विशेषणम् ‘desired/dear’

• अपत्यम्: offspring/son
• अपत्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मे: my/to me
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

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

• अद्य: today/now
• अद्य: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (today/now)

• अनुपमम्: incomparable
• अनुपमम्: Karta-dharma (कर्तृधर्म/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुपम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; त्वम् (as ‘apathyam’) इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• भुवि: on earth
• भुवि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• दत्तम्: given/performed
• दत्तम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त, past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘has been given/performed’

• इष्टम्: sacrifice/ritual
• इष्टम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त, ‘that which is sacrificed’ → ritual), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अधीतम्: studied
• अधीतम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि + इ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त, past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘has been studied’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (कर्तृ/करण), एकवचन

• पुरुषसत्तम: O best of men
• पुरुषसत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; समासः सत्तमः पुरुषः = पुरुषसत्तम (कर्मधारय)

Context

O best of men! I have obtained now a progeny of my liking in you and you have no equal on earth. I have given gifts, performed rituals and also studied (the Vedas) .

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Rāma

FAQs

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

It connects dharma to completeness of duty: charity, sacrifice, and learning culminate in producing a worthy successor who upholds righteousness.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha expresses fulfillment—both in having Rāma as his ideal son and in having completed key religious and social obligations.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Recognition of merit and lineage-responsibility—valuing a successor fit to carry dharma forward.