Valmiki Ramayana 2.118.39: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 118, Shloka 39

अनसूयोपदेशः तथा सीताया स्वयंवरकथा

Anasuya’s Counsel and Sita’s Swayamvara Narrative

Devanagari script

महायज्ञे तदा तस्य वरुणेन महात्मना ।

दत्तं धनुर्वरं प्रीत्या तूणी चाक्षयसायकौ ॥३९॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.118.39

Transliteration

mahāyajñe tadā tasya varuṇena mahātmanā |

dattaṁ dhanur-varaṁ prītyā tūṇī cākṣaya-sāyakau ||39||

Translation

അപ്പോൾ അവന്റെ മഹായജ്ഞത്തിൽ മഹാത്മാവായ വരുണൻ സ്നേഹപൂർവ്വം അത്യുത്തമമായ ധനുസ്സും, കൂടെ തൂണിയും രണ്ടു അക്ഷയബാണങ്ങളും ദാനമായി നൽകി.

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Word by Word

• महायज्ञे: in a great sacrifice
• महायज्ञे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महायज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समास: महा + यज्ञ

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• तस्य: to him / for him
• तस्य: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• वरुणेन: by Varuṇa
• वरुणेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/तृतीया), एकवचन

• महात्मना: by the great-souled
• महात्मना: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषण वरुणेन; समास: महा + आत्मन्

• दत्तम्: was given
• दत्तम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थ (given)

• धनुःवरम्: an excellent bow
• धनुःवरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुःवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: धनुः + वर (excellent bow)

• प्रीत्या: with affection
• प्रीत्या: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• तूणी: two quivers
• तूणी: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तूणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन (Dual)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अक्षयसायकौ: two inexhaustible arrows
• अक्षयसायकौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षयसायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; समास: अक्षय + सायक (inexhaustible arrows)

Context

Magnanimous Varuna out of his affection had given him, on the occasion of a great sacrifice, an excellent bow with inexhaustible arrows and a pair of quivers.

Characters & Entities

• Varuṇa
• Janaka
• quivers (tūṇī)

FAQs

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

Ritual merit and righteous conduct attract divine support; sacred gifts become instruments for upholding dharma (later used to test worth in the svayaṁvara context).

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā notes the origin of a powerful bow and weapons given to Janaka by Varuṇa during a great sacrifice.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Janaka’s ritual righteousness and Varuṇa’s benevolence—divine aid aligned with dharmic kingship.