Valmiki Ramayana 2.18.23: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 18, Shloka 23

अष्टादशः सर्गः

Kaikeyī Discloses the Boons: Exile to Daṇḍaka and Bharata’s Consecration

Devanagari script

अतिसृज्य ददानीति वरं मम विशांपतिः।स निरर्थं गतजले सेतुं बन्धितुमिच्छति।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.18.23

Transliteration

atisṛjya dadānīti varaṃ mama viśāṃpatiḥ | sa nirarthaṃ gatajale setuṃ bandhitum icchati ||

Translation

‘ഞാൻ തരാം’ എന്നു പറഞ്ഞു ജനാധിപനായ അവൻ എനിക്കു വരം സ്വേച്ഛയായി നൽകി; ഇപ്പോൾ വെള്ളം ഒഴിഞ്ഞുപോയിടത്ത് വ്യർത്ഥമായി അണക്കെട്ട് കെട്ടുവാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നു.

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Word by Word

• atisṛjya: having granted
• atisṛjya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ati + sṛj (धातु)
• Form: Gerund (ल्यप्), ‘having bestowed/let go completely’

• dadāni: I shall give / I give
• dadāni: Kriya (क्रिया) (in quotation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष) singular, parasmaipada; quoted speech with ‘iti’

• iti: thus (saying)
• iti: Vākyārtha-dyotaka (वाक्यार्थद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-निपात)

• varam: boon
• varam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, accusative singular

• mama: to me / of me
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, genitive singular

• viśāṃpatiḥ: lord of the people (king)
• viśāṃpatiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viś + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound: viśām (षष्ठी plural of viś ‘people’) + pati (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); masculine, nominative singular

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, masculine, nominative singular

• nirartham: in vain
• nirartham: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nirartha (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: Avyaya (used adverbially), manner adverb (रीतिवाचक)

• gatajale: where the water has gone (dried up)
• gatajale: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gata + jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound: gata (gone) + jala (water) (कर्मधारय); neuter/masc locative (सप्तमी) singular; used as locative of place

• setum: a dam / causeway
• setum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: setu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, accusative singular

• bandhitum: to build / bind
• bandhitum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bandh (धातु)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्)

• icchati: wishes
• icchati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person singular, parasmaipada

Context

The king bestowed on me boons saying, 'I shall grant you two boons'. But now he wishes in vain to build a dam when the water has run down.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha (viśāṃpati)
• Rāma
• setu (dam/embankment) (metaphor)

FAQs

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

Once a vow/boon is granted, dharma treats it as binding; attempting to retract it afterward is portrayed as futile and improper.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī uses a striking metaphor to argue that Daśaratha cannot undo what he has already promised.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfastness to one’s word (satya-niṣṭhā) is foregrounded—especially as a royal duty.