Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 53, Shloka 12

पञ्चाशत्तमः सर्गः (Sarga 53)

Rāma’s Lament, Vigil for Sītā, and Lakṣmaṇa’s Consolation

Devanagari script

स हि सर्वस्य राज्यस्य मुखमेकं भविष्यति।ताते च वयसाऽतीते मयि चारण्यमास्थिते।।।।

Transliteration

sa hi sarvasya rājyasya mukham ekaṃ bhaviṣyati | tāte ca vayasā ’tīte mayi cāraṇyam āsthite ||2.53.12||

Translation

ເພາະວ່າເຂົານັ້ນຈະເປັນປະມຸກພຽງຜູ້ດຽວແຫ່ງອານາຈັກທັງປວງ—ໂອ ຜູ້ເປັນທີ່ຮັກ, ພໍ່ຂ້າຊະລາພາບແລ້ວ ແລະຂ້າໄດ້ເຂົ້າສູ່ຊີວິດໃນປ່າດົງ।

Word by Word

• सः: he (Bharata)
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• सर्वस्य: of the whole
• सर्वस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies ‘राज्यस्य’)

• राज्यस्य: of the kingdom
• राज्यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• मुखम्: chief, foremost (lit. face)
• मुखम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• एकम्: alone, sole
• एकम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies ‘मुखम्’)

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ताते: when (my) father
• ताते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘ताते’ = ‘when father…’ (locative absolute-like)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• वयसा: with age
• वयसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; हेतु/साधनभाव (by/with age)

• अतीते: having passed/advanced
• अतीते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + इ (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘वयसा’ सह: वयसा अतीते = when age has advanced

• मयि: when I
• मयि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• अरण्यम्: the forest
• अरण्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; गत्यर्थे कर्म (object of ‘आस्थिते’)

• आस्थिते: having taken refuge/dwelt
• आस्थिते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; लोके ‘मयि … आस्थिते’ = when I have taken to (dwelt in) the forest (locative absolute)

Context

The king is advanced in age and I have to dwell in the forest. Therefore, Bharataalone will be the chief of this entire kingdom.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• kingdom (rājya)
• Daśaratha (implied father)
• araṇya (forest)

FAQs

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

Dharma is responsibility under changing circumstances: when the rightful heir is exiled and the king is aged, practical governance falls to another—raising questions of legitimacy and moral order.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma explains why Bharata will effectively become the sole ruler: Daśaratha’s age and Rāma’s forest-dwelling.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s acceptance of consequence—he recognizes the political reality created by his adherence to the exile command.