Valmiki Ramayana 2.46.16: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 46, Shloka 16

तमसातीरवासः · Night on the Bank of the Tamasa and the Stratagem to Elude the Citizens

Setting: Tamasa river bankPlaces named: TamasaFirst halt after departure from Ayodhya toward forest-exile route

Devanagari script

जाग्रतो ह्येव तां रात्रिं सौमित्रेरुदितो रविः ।

सूतस्य तमसातीरे रामस्य ब्रुवतो गुणान् ॥१६॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.46.16

Transliteration

jāgrato hy eva tāṁ rātriṁ saumitrer udito raviḥ |

sūtasya tamasā-tīre rāmasya bruvato guṇān ||16||

Translation

സൗമിത്രി ആ രാത്രി മുഴുവൻ ജാഗരിച്ച്, തമസാ നദീതീരത്ത് സൂതന്റെ സന്നിധിയിൽ രാമന്റെ ഗുണങ്ങൾ പാടിപ്പറഞ്ഞുകൊണ്ടിരിക്കെ സൂര്യൻ ഉദിച്ചു.

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Word by Word

• जाग्रतः: while (he) was awake
• Type: Verb
• Root: जाग्रत् (प्रातिपदिक; present participle stem from √जागृ)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय-आधार (present participial), षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; ‘of (one) being awake’
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; genitive absolute-like)

• हि: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), निश्चयार्थ
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• एव: just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारणार्थ (just/only)
• Role: Avadharana (अवधारण)

• ताम्: that
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies रात्रिम्)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)

• रात्रिम्: night
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण; duration)

• सौमित्रेः: of Saumitra (Lakshmana)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौमित्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; of Lakshmana)

• उदितः: risen
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + इ (धातु; ‘to rise’)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (Past participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; agrees with रविः
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया; predicate adjective)

• रविः: the sun
• Type: Noun
• Root: रवि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/subject)

• सूतस्य: of the charioteer
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; of the charioteer)

• तमसातीरे: on Tamasa's bank
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमसा + तीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• रामस्य: of Rama
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• ब्रुवतः: (of him) speaking
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु; ‘to speak’)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (Present participle), षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; ‘of (one) speaking’ (qualifies सौमित्रेः)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; genitive qualifier)

• गुणान्: virtues
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग
• Role: Karma (कर्म/object of speaking)

Sandhi Notes

• जाग्रतः + हि + एव → जाग्रतो ह्येव (विसर्ग/स्वर-सन्धि)
• सौमित्रेः + उदितः → सौमित्रेरुदितः (विसर्ग-सन्धि)

Context

Lakshmana continued to describe Rama's virtues to the charioteer, keeping awake that entire night on the bank of Tamasa until the Sun rose.

The teaching

In adversity, keep wakeful steadiness and strengthen the mind by recalling the virtues of the righteous.

Ethical theme

Sadācāra (noble conduct)

For your practice

Guna-smaraṇa as a contemplative practice: recollecting the noble qualities of Rama to stabilize the mind during hardship.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shanta (peace), with Karuna (compassion)

Mood

Wakeful, tender, dawn-quiet

Themes

• Dharma
• Vigilance
• Itihasa
• Ethics

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Lakshmana (Saumitri)
• Sumantra
• Rama
• Tamasa (river)
• Ravi (Sun)

FAQs

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

Dharma as guardianship and steadfastness: Lakshmana’s wakefulness and moral discourse reflect protective duty and unwavering commitment to righteous leadership.

What is the narrative situation?

The first night by the Tamasa passes with Lakshmana awake, speaking of Rama’s virtues to Sumantra until dawn.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Alert devotion: Lakshmana’s tireless vigilance and reverence for Rama’s dharmic qualities.