Valmiki Ramayana 2.52.66 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 52, Shloka 66

गङ्गातरणम्, सुमन्त्र-प्रतिनिवर्तनम्, जटाधारणम्

Crossing the Gaṅgā; Sumantra’s Return; Adoption of Ascetic Signs

Devanagari script

नेदानीं गुह योग्योऽयं वासो मे सजने वने।आवश्यं ह्याश्रमे वासः कर्तव्यस्तद्गतो विधिः।।2.52.66।।

Transliteration

nedānīṃ guha yogyо ’yaṃ vāso me sa-jane vane |

āvaśyaṃ hy āśrame vāsaḥ kartavyas tad-gato vidhiḥ ||2.52.66||

Translation

‘ഗുഹാ, ഇപ്പോൾ ജനങ്ങൾ സഞ്ചരിക്കുന്ന ഈ വനത്തിൽ എന്റെ വാസം യോജ്യമല്ല. ആശ്രമത്തിൽ തന്നെ വസിക്കണം; അവിടെ ചെന്നാൽ ആ ജീവിതത്തിന്റെ വിധി-നിയമങ്ങൾ ശരിയായി അനുഷ്ഠിക്കാം.’

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• इदानीम्: now
• इदानीम्: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इदानीम् (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (time adverb)

• गुह: O Guha
• गुह: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• योग्यः: suitable
• योग्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate adjective of अयम् वासः

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वासः: dwelling
• वासः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मे: for me / my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• सजने: in (the presence of) people
• सजने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; 'among people'

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• आवश्यम्: necessarily
• आवश्यम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आवश्य (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: अव्यय, निश्चयार्थक (certainly/necessarily)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात

• आश्रमे: in the hermitage
• आश्रमे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• वासः: dwelling
• वासः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कर्तव्यः: to be done / must be undertaken
• कर्तव्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्य (कृत्)
• Form: तव्यत् (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate 'must be done' (with वासः)

• तद्गतः: pertaining to that
• तद्गतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् + गत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'gone to/pertaining to that (āśrama)' qualifies विधिः

• विधिः: prescribed rule
• विधिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

Guha! this forest where people live is not suitable for my stay. It is necessary that I live in a hermitage. So please do the needful.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Guha
• Ashrama (hermitage)
• Forest

FAQs

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

Dharma is adherence to the appropriate rule of life (vidhi): Rama insists that exile must be lived as disciplined hermitage-life, not as a comfortable stay among settlements.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama explains to Guha that he cannot remain in a populated forest area and must move to a hermitage to follow the proper observances of an exile-ascetic.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Integrity and self-restraint: Rama aligns his living conditions with his vow and the demanded discipline of forest-dwelling.