Valmiki Ramayana 2.34.29: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 34, Shloka 29

रामदर्शनार्थं दारानयनम्

The Queens Summoned; Rama’s Leave-Taking and Dasaratha’s Collapse

Devanagari script

नव पञ्च च वर्षाणि वनवासे विहृत्य ते।पुनःपादौ ग्रहीष्यामि प्रतिज्ञान्ते नराधिप।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.34.29

Transliteration

nava pañca ca varṣāṇi vanavāse vihṛtya te |

punaḥ pādau grahīṣyāmi pratijñānte narādhipa! ||

Translation

വനവാസത്തിൽ ഒൻപതും അഞ്ചും—പതിനാലും—വർഷം കഴിച്ച്, പ്രതിജ്ഞ പൂർത്തിയാക്കി, ഹേ നരാധിപ, ഞാൻ വീണ്ടും വന്ന് നിങ്ങളുടെ പാദങ്ങൾ പിടിക്കും.

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Word by Word

• nava: nine
• nava: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral adjective, indeclinable-like in counting; here qualifying varṣāṇi

• pañca: five
• pañca: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral adjective; with nava ... ca = 'and five'

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction (समुच्चय)

• varṣāṇi: years
• varṣāṇi: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण/Duration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, accusative (द्वितीया) plural; duration/extent (कालपरिमाण)

• vanavāse: in forest-dwelling / in exile in the forest
• vanavāse: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vanavāsa (प्रातिपदिक; vana + vāsa)
• Form: Masculine, locative (सप्तमी) singular; tatpuruṣa compound

• vihṛtya: having roamed / having spent (time)
• vihṛtya: Purvakāla-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√hṛ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), form vihṛtya; indeclinable; prior action

• te: your
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun, genitive (षष्ठी) singular (enclitic)

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb

• pādau: (your) two feet
• pādau: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, accusative (द्वितीया) dual

• grahīṣyāmi: I will grasp
• grahīṣyāmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: grah (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ (लुट्, periphrastic future), parasmaipada, 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष) singular

• pratijñānte: upon (your) vow being fulfilled
• pratijñānte: Saptamī-absolute (सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-jñā (धातु) > pratijñānta (कृदन्त)
• Form: Locative (सप्तमी) singular of present active participle stem pratijñānta-; used as locative absolute with implied 'sati' = 'when the vow is fulfilled'

• narādhipa: O lord of men (king)
• narādhipa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara-adhipa (प्रातिपदिक; nara + adhipa)
• Form: Masculine, vocative (सम्बोधन) singular; tatpuruṣa compound

Context

He saw the lord of the world (Dasaratha) dull like the Sun in eclipse, like the firecovered with ashes, like a tank with its water dried up.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Daśaratha
• vanavāsa (forest exile)
• fourteen years

FAQs

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

Faithfulness to a vow (pratijñā) is treated as dharma; Rāma frames exile as a time-bound duty to be completed without resentment.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma reassures Daśaratha that he will complete the fourteen-year exile and return, restoring the filial relationship through respectful homage.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfastness and reverence—Rāma’s commitment to keep the pledge and honor his father.