Shloka 34

Raghuvara’s Royal Consecration

Rāma’s Coronation and Familial Reconciliation

Devanagari script

श्रीराम उवाच । मातर्मया त्वच्चरणौ चिरकालं न सेवितौ । ततः क्षमस्वापराधं भाग्यहीनस्य वै मम

Transliteration

śrīrāma uvāca | mātarmayā tvaccaraṇau cirakālaṃ na sevitau | tataḥ kṣamasvāparādhaṃ bhāgyahīnasya vai mama

Translation

ശ്രീരാമൻ പറഞ്ഞു—മാതേ, ദീർഘകാലം ഞാൻ നിങ്ങളുടെ പാദസേവ ചെയ്തില്ല; അതിനാൽ ഭാഗ്യഹീനനായ എന്റെ അപരാധം ക്ഷമിക്കണമേ।

Word by Word

• श्री-रामः: Śrī Rāma
• श्री-रामः: Karta (Speaker/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (honorific epithet + name)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (Speech verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मातर्: O mother
• मातर्: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (Agent in passive sense/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्री; तृतीया (करण/कर्ता-हेतुः), एकवचन

• त्वत्-चरणौ: your two feet
• त्वत्-चरणौ: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, द्विवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘त्वद्-चरणौ’ = ‘तव चरणौ’)

• चिर-कालम्: for a long time
• चिर-कालम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Duration adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिर (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; कालवाचक-द्वितीया (accusative of duration)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• सेवितौ: were served/attended
• सेवितौ: Kriyā (Predicate in passive construction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव् (धातु) → सेवित (कृदन्त-क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, द्विवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे विधेय (passive perfect participle used predicatively): ‘(they) were served’

• ततः: therefore
• ततः: Sambandha (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/अनन्तरार्थ (therefore/then)

• क्षमस्व: forgive
• क्षमस्व: Kriyā (Request)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षम (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/imperative); मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• अपराधम्: offence, fault
• अपराधम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपराध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• भाग्य-हीनस्य: of the unfortunate (one)
• भाग्य-हीनस्य: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भाग्य (प्रातिपदिक) + हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (‘भाग्येन हीनः’); विशेषणं ‘मम’ (genitive)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• मम: my
• मम: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

Speaker

Śrī Rāma

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: मातर्मया = मातः + मया (विसर्ग-लोप/र्-आदेश); त्वच्चरणौ = त्वत् + चरणौ; क्षमस्वापराधम् = क्षमस्व + अपराधम् (स्व + अ);

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Rāma
• Mother (mātar—unnamed in this single verse)

FAQs

Who is speaking in this verse, and to whom is he speaking?

The speaker is Śrī Rāma. He addresses “Mother” (mātar), expressing remorse for not having served her feet for a long time; the specific identity of the mother is not stated in this single verse alone.

How does this verse emphasize the path of Bhakti and seva?

It presents devotion as humble service (seva) expressed through reverence to a revered figure (here, the mother). The act of seeking forgiveness (kṣamā) and acknowledging neglect are framed as spiritually meaningful.

What ethical lesson does this dialogue teach?

It teaches accountability and repentance: one should acknowledge neglect of duty, value respectful service to elders/parents, and sincerely ask forgiveness rather than justify one’s lapse.