Valmiki Ramayana 2.116.9: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 116, Shloka 9

तपस्विनाम् औत्सुक्यं राक्षसत्रासश्च

Ascetics’ Anxiety and the Fear of Rakshasas

Addressed to RamaSetting: Forest hermitage (āśrama)Places named: Videha (implied by epithet Vaidehī)Forest-exile sojourn; interaction with sages

Devanagari script

कुतः कल्याणसत्त्वायाः कल्याणाभिरतेस्तथा ।

चलनं तात वैदेह्यास्तपस्विषु विशेषतः ॥९॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.116.9

Transliteration

kutaḥ kalyāṇasattvāyāḥ kalyāṇābhirates tathā |

calanaṃ tāta vaidehyās tapasviṣu viśeṣataḥ ||9||

Translation

ລູກເອີຍ ຈະມີຄວາມຜິດພາດຈາກນາງໄວເທຫີ ຜູ້ມີຈິດໃຈປະເສີດ ແລະຊື່ນຊອບໃນສິ່ງມົງຄຸນ ໂດຍສະເພາະໃນການປະພຶດຕໍ່ພວກຕາປະສີ ຈະເກີດຂຶ້ນໄດ້ແນວໃດ

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Word by Word

• कुतः: how/whence
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक (whence/how)
• Role: Prashna (प्रश्न)

• कल्याण-सत्त्वायाः: of one with auspicious nature
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कल्याण (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (कल्याणं सत्त्वं यस्याः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘वैदेह्याः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• कल्याण-अभिरतेः: of one devoted to auspicious deeds
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कल्याण (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिरति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कल्याणे अभिरतिः यस्याः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; विशेषण (of Vaidehi)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• तथा: thus/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/so/also)
• Role: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)

• चलनम्: deviation/violation
• Type: Noun
• Root: चलन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• तात: O dear child
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)

• वैदेह्याः: of Vaidehi (Sita)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैदेही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• तपस्विषु: towards ascetics
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)

• विशेषतः: especially
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेषणार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (especially)
• Role: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)

Sandhi Notes

• कल्याणसत्त्वायाः = कल्याण-सत्त्वायाः
• कल्याणाभिरतेः = कल्याण-अभिरतेः
• वैदेह्यास्तपस्विषु = वैदेह्याः + तपस्विषु

Context

O dear child, how can good-natured Sita who is always engaged in performing auspicious deeds, especially towards ascetics be associated with violation of duty?

The teaching

Auspicious character (kalyāṇa-sattva) and consistent reverence to holy persons make accusations of lapse implausible; judge by sustained conduct, not suspicion.

Duties in tension

• Protecting ascetics’ sanctity and responding to any perceived offense
• Maintaining fairness and not imputing fault to the innocent (especially Sītā)

Ethical theme

Nyāya (fair judgment) / śīla-rakṣaṇa (protection of virtue)

How it resolves

Clarification through character testimony and reasoned defense

For your practice

Practice of charitable interpretation, guarding others’ reputation, and honoring tapasvins; cultivating sattvic speech.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shanta (peace), with Karuna (compassion)

Mood

Reassuring, principled, protective

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Defense of character
• Auspicious conduct
• Respect for ascetics
• Ethics

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Vaidehī (Sītā)
• tapasvins (ascetics)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes fairness in judgment: the sage rejects baseless suspicion and upholds truth by affirming Sītā’s established virtuous character, especially in relation to holy persons.

What is the narrative situation?

The elder sage responds to Rāma’s worries, asserting that Sītā is inherently virtuous and unlikely to offend ascetics.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s kalyāṇa-śīla (auspicious, virtuous disposition) and reverence toward tapasvins.