Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 3

सत्यपाशः

Kaikeyi’s Demand and the Noose of the King’s Promise

Devanagari script

आहु स्सत्यं हि परमं धर्मं धर्मविदो जनाः।सत्यमाश्रित्य हि मया त्वं च धर्मं प्रबोधितः।।।।

Transliteration

āhuḥ satyaṃ hi paramaṃ dharmaṃ dharmavido janāḥ | satyam āśritya hi mayā tvaṃ ca dharmaṃ prabodhitaḥ ||

Translation

धर्म जाणणारे म्हणतात—सत्य हाच परम धर्म; सत्याचा आधार घेऊन मी तुलाही तुझ्या धर्माचे बोध केले आहे।

Word by Word

• आहुः: say
• आहुः: Karta (कर्ता; 'people say')
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

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

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Karma-anvaya (कर्मान्वय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; धर्मम् इति विशेषण

• धर्मम्: dharma/virtue
• धर्मम्: Karma (कर्म/Object-complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• धर्म-विदः: knowers of dharma
• धर्म-विदः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + विद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('धर्मं वेत्ति'); पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; of āśritya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• आश्रित्य: having resorted to/following
• आश्रित्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√श्रि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)

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

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण/Instrument; agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता; in passive construction, logical object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• च: also
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• धर्मम्: duty/dharma
• धर्मम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; of prabodhitaḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• प्रबोधितः: (you) were instructed/awakened
• प्रबोधितः: Karma (कर्म; patient as grammatical subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√बुध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; (त्वम्) implied subject in passive

Context

Those conversant with righteousness say that truth is a great virtue. By following the truth, I have enlightened you about your duty.

Characters & Entities

• satya (truth)
• dharma
• Vasiṣṭha (implied by context)

FAQs

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

Satya is presented as the supreme dharma: moral life and right governance are grounded in truth as the highest norm.

What is the narrative situation?

A teacherly voice frames the events by asserting truth’s primacy and recalling that duty has been taught on the basis of truth.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Commitment to truth as a guiding virtue—especially crucial for rulers and those who advise them.