Valmiki Ramayana 2.88.11: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 88, Shloka 11

रामशय्यादर्शनम्

Bharata Beholds Rama’s Forest Bed

Devanagari script

न नूनं दैवतं किंचित्कालेन बलवत्तरम्।यत्र दाशरथी रामो भूमावेव शयीत सः।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.88.11

Transliteration

na nūnaṃ daivataṃ kiṃcit kālena balavattaram |

yatra dāśarathī rāmo bhūmāveva śayīta saḥ ||

Translation

നിശ്ചയമായും കാലത്തേക്കാൾ ശക്തമായ ദൈവശക്തി അല്പംപോലും ഇല്ല; കാരണം ദശരഥനന്ദനനായ ശ്രീരാമനും നിർവസ്ത്രമായ ഭൂമിയിലേ ശയിക്കേണ്ടിവന്നു.

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Word by Word

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (Negation)

• नूनम्: surely
• नूनम्: अवधारण (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नूनम् (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (certainly)

• दैवतम्: divine power, fate
• दैवतम्: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• किंचित्: in the least, even slightly
• किंचित्: विशेषण (Modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किंचित् (सर्वनाम/अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Form: परिमाणार्थक अव्यय (indefinite particle: ‘even a little’)

• कालेन: by time, in course of time
• कालेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• बलवत्तरम्: stronger
• बलवत्तरम्: विधेय (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तरप् (तुलनात्मक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; तुलनात्मक (comparative) विशेषण of ‘दैवतम्’

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Relative location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक सम्बन्धबोधक अव्यय (relative adverb: where)

• दाशरथी: Dasaratha's son
• दाशरथी: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दाशरथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; पितृव्युत्पन्न-नाम (patronymic)

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; दाशरथी इत्यस्य समानाधिकरण (apposition)

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: अवधारण (Restriction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (restrictive particle)

• शयीत: should/has to lie down, sleep
• शयीत: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शी (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Context

Dasaratha's son, Rama had to rest on the ground would admittedly mean that no divine power is mightier than Time (Destiny).

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Daśaratha
• Kāla (Time/Destiny)

FAQs

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

Humility before the moral order of the world: even the most righteous and royal can be brought low by Kāla, prompting compassion, self-restraint, and renewed commitment to dharma rather than pride.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata reaches Rāma’s forest resting-place and, seeing signs of his sleeping on the ground, laments the reversal of fortune caused by exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bharata’s empathy and moral sensitivity—he is pained that a dharmic prince endures hardship and reflects on the power of destiny/time.