Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 2, Shloka 7

यौवराज्य-प्रस्तावः

Proposal for Rāma’s Installation as Heir-Apparent

Devanagari script

इदं शरीरं कृत्स्नस्य लोकस्य चरता हितम्।पाण्डुरस्याऽतपत्रस्यच्छायायां जरितं मया।।2.2.7।।

Transliteration

idaṃ śarīraṃ kṛtsnasya lokasya caratā hitam | pāṇḍurasyātapatrasya chāyāyāṃ jaritaṃ mayā || 2.2.7 ||

Translation

സകല ലോകത്തിന്റെ ഹിതത്തിനായി പരിശ്രമിച്ചുകൊണ്ട്, വെളുത്ത രാജച്ഛത്രത്തിന്റെ നിഴലിൽ രാജ്യം ഭരിച്ചുകൊണ്ടിരിക്കെ എന്റെ ഈ ശരീരം വാർദ്ധക്യത്തിലേക്ക് എത്തിയിരിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• idam: this
• idam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of śarīram
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally

• śarīram: body
• śarīram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• kṛtsnasya: of the entire
• kṛtsnasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛtsna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying lokasya

• lokasya: of the world
• lokasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• caratā: by (me) acting/moving about
• caratā: Karta (कर्ता) in instrumental (agent)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: car (चर् धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: Present active participle (वर्तमानकाले शतृ-कृदन्त), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन), Masculine/Neuter agreement by sense; used as agent-instrument: 'by me who was moving/acting'

• hitam: beneficial; for welfare
• hitam: Pradhāna-viśeṣaṇa / Predicative (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hita (प्रातिपदिक; √dhā/hi 'to place' > 'beneficial')
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective to śarīram

• pāṇḍurasya: of the white
• pāṇḍurasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāṇḍura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying ātapatrasya

• ātapatrasya: of the parasol
• ātapatrasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātapatra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• chāyāyām: in/under the shade
• chāyāyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: chāyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन)

• jaritam: grown old; aged
• jaritam: Pradhāna-viśeṣaṇa / Predicative (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jṝ (जॄ धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); predicate to śarīram: 'grown old'

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karta (कर्ता) in instrumental (agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: First person pronoun (उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

Context

I desire to accomplish the welfare of this entire world which deserves the happiness brought about by the rule of all the Ikshvaku kings.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• loka (world)

FAQs

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

Leadership is service that consumes one’s life-span; the king’s dharma is to expend personal strength for public welfare.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha points to his aging body as evidence of long service, implying the need for timely succession.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-sacrifice and perseverance in duty—placing loka-hita (public good) at the center of kingship.