Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 111, Shloka 20

अयोध्याकाण्डे एकादशोत्तरशततमः सर्गः

Sarga 111: Counsel on Gurus, Parental Debt, and Bharata’s Protest

Devanagari script

ते तदोचुर्महात्मानं पौरजानपदा जनाः।काकुत्स्थमभिजानीमः सम्यग् वदति राघवः।।।।

Transliteration

te tam ūcur mahātmānaṃ paurajānapadā janāḥ | kākutstham abhijānīmaḥ samyag vadati rāghavaḥ ||

Translation

അപ്പോൾ നഗരവാസികളും ജനപദവാസികളും മഹാത്മാവായ ഭരതനോടു പറഞ്ഞു: “കാകുത്സ്ഥനായ ശ്രീരാമനെ ഞങ്ങൾ നന്നായി അറിയുന്നു; രാഘവൻ പറഞ്ഞത് യഥാർത്ഥവും ശരിയുമാണ്.”

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• महात्मानम्: the great-souled one
• महात्मानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (महान् आत्मा यस्य सः) used as epithet

• पौरजानपदाः: townsmen and villagers
• पौरजानपदाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौर-जानपद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वः (paurāḥ ca jānāpadāḥ ca)

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; apposition to ‘पौरजानपदाः’

• काकुत्स्थम्: Kakutstha (Rama)
• काकुत्स्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काकुत्स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अभिजानीमः: we know, recognize
• अभिजानीमः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• सम्यक्: properly, rightly
• सम्यक्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• वदति: speaks
• वदति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• राघवः: Raghava (Rama)
• राघवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

Those inhabitants from towns and villages replied to the magnanimous Bharata 'we know the scion of the Kakutha dynasty, Rama, very well. What he has said is proper'.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Rama (Kākutstha, Rāghava)
• paura (townspeople)
• jānapada (villagers/countryfolk)

FAQs

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

Truth and righteousness are validated by consistent character: the people affirm Rama’s words as ‘proper’ because his life aligns with dharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata asks the people to persuade Rama; instead, they support Rama’s stance and refuse to oppose him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s credibility (satya and steadiness in dharma), recognized publicly by those who know his nature.