Valmiki Ramayana 2.20.8 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 20, Shloka 8

अयोध्याकाण्डे विंशः सर्गः

Rama Enters Kauśalyā’s Antaḥpura; Ritual Preparations and the Shock of Exile

Devanagari script

रामस्तु भृशमायस्तो निश्श्वसन्निव कुञ्जरः।जगाम सहितो भ्रात्रा मातुरन्तःपुरं वशी।।।।

Transliteration

rāmas tu bhṛśam āyasto niśśvasann iva kuñjaraḥ |

jagāma sahito bhrātrā mātur antaḥpuraṃ vaśī ||

Translation

परंतु राम अत्यंत व्याकुळ होऊन, हत्तीप्रमाणे दीर्घ निःश्वास टाकीत, तरीही संयमी राहून, भावासह मातेसच्या अंतःपुरात गेला.

Word by Word

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: कर्ता (Agent/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (masculine; nominative; singular)

• तु: however, but
• तु: सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्धक (discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः/समुच्चय-व्यतिरेकसूचकः (particle; ‘however/but’)

• भृशम्: exceedingly, greatly
• भृशम्: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृशम् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb)

• आयस्तः: distressed, troubled, wearied
• आयस्तः: कर्तृविशेषण (qualifier of the subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आयस्त (प्रातिपदिक; √यस्/यास् इति धातोः निष्पन्नः—आयस्त ‘क्लान्त/व्याकुल’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (masculine; nominative; singular; adjective qualifying ‘रामः’)

• निःश्वसन्: sighing, heaving breaths
• निःश्वसन्: कर्तृविशेषण (qualifier of the subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निः-√श्वस् (धातु) → शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः (present active participle)
• Form: कृदन्तः (शतृ); परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्गः; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्; क्रियाविशेषणवत्/विशेषणम् (present active participle; masculine nominative singular; describing ‘रामः’)

• इव: like, as if
• इव: उपमान-सम्बन्धक (comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्ययम् (indeclinable of comparison: ‘like/as’)

• कुञ्जरः: an elephant
• कुञ्जरः: उपमान (standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुञ्जर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्; उपमानम् (masculine; nominative; singular; object of comparison)

• जगाम: went
• जगाम: क्रिया (main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (परिपूर्णभूत/परोक्शभूत); प्रथमपुरुषः; एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम् (perfect; 3rd person singular; active)

• सहितः: accompanied, together with
• सहितः: कर्तृविशेषण (qualifier of the subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित (प्रातिपदिक; √सह् ‘सहने/सह’ इत्यर्थे—‘सहित’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (masculine; nominative; singular; ‘accompanied’—qualifying ‘रामः’)

• भ्रात्रा: with (his) brother
• भ्रात्रा: सहकारक/सहयोग (instrumental of accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; तृतीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (masculine; instrumental; singular)

• मातुः: of (his) mother
• मातुः: षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (genitive relation/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः; षष्ठी-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (feminine; genitive; singular)

• अन्तःपुरम्: the inner apartments, women’s quarters
• अन्तःपुरम्: कर्म (Goal/Object of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तःपुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्; गत्यर्थक्रियायाः कर्म (neuter; accusative; singular; object with verb of motion)

• वशी: self-controlled, master of himself
• वशी: कर्तृविशेषण (qualifier of the subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (masculine; nominative; singular; adjective qualifying ‘रामः’)

Context

Deeply pained yet self-possessed Rama, heaving sighs like an elephant went towards the inner apartment of his mother along with his brother.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Lakshmana (implied by bhrātrā)
• Kausalya (implied by mātuḥ)
• Inner apartments (antaḥpura)

FAQs

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

It presents dharma as disciplined conduct under pressure: Rama’s sorrow is real, yet he remains vaśī (self-governed), embodying righteous restraint rather than emotional chaos.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama, distressed by events, proceeds with Lakshmana into Kausalya’s quarters in the palace.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s self-control (dama) and dignified composure—hallmarks of maryādā-puruṣottama behavior in the epic.