Valmiki Ramayana 2.32.29 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 32, Shloka 29

द्वात्रिंशस्सर्गः

Gifts to Suyajna and the Brahmins; Trijata’s Petition and Rama’s Charity

Devanagari script

तत्रासीत्पिङ्गलो गार्ग्यस्त्रिजटो नाम वै द्विजः।।।।क्षतवृत्तिर्वने नित्यं फालकुद्दाललाङ्गली।

Transliteration

tatrāsīt piṅgalo gārgyas trijaṭo nāma vai dvijaḥ | kṣata-vṛttir vane nityaṃ phāla-kuddāla-lāṅgalī ||

Translation

അവിടെ ഗാർഗ്യവംശജനായ ത്രിജടൻ എന്നൊരു ദ്വിജൻ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു; വർണ്ണത്തിൽ പിംഗളൻ; അവൻ നിത്യവും വനത്തിൽ ഫാലം, കുടാലം, ലാംഗലം എന്നിവയോടെ കുഴിച്ചും ഉഴുതും ജീവിക്കുകയായിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय

• आसीत्: was, lived
• आसीत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पिङ्गलः: Pingala
• पिङ्गलः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: piṅgala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गार्ग्यः: Gargya (descendant of Gargya)
• गार्ग्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gārgya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; गोत्र/वंशवाचक (descendant of Gargya)

• त्रिजटः: Trijata
• त्रिजटः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: trijaṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Nirdharana/Name-marker (नामनिर्देशक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नाम-शब्दः अव्ययवत् (indeclinable in sense: "by name")

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipata (निपात/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: emphasis/assurance)

• द्विजः: brahmin
• द्विजः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• क्षतवृत्तिः: one living by digging
• क्षतवृत्तिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣata + vṛtti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ("क्षतेन/खननेन वृत्तिः" = one whose livelihood is digging)

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Frequency)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nityam (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb: "always")

• फालकुद्दाललाङ्गली: having ploughshare, spade and plough
• फालकुद्दाललाङ्गली: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: phāla + kuddāla + lāṅgala + in (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि ("फालं कुद्दालं लाङ्गलं च यस्य सः" = having ploughshare, spade, and plough)

Context

A brahmin by name, Trijata, a descendant of sage Garga and of reddish-brown colour used to live in that region earning his livelihood in the forest by digging the earth with an iron-spade and a plough.

Characters & Entities

• Trijaṭa
• Gārgya (lineage of Garga)
• forest (vana)
• phāla (ploughshare)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights dignity in honest livelihood: even a brāhmaṇa may live by strenuous work when circumstances demand, reflecting endurance and integrity.

What is the narrative situation?

The text introduces a specific brāhmaṇa (Trijaṭa) in the setting, preparing for an episode involving poverty and relief.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Trijaṭa’s perseverance and self-reliance—he sustains his family through labor in the forest.