Valmiki Ramayana 2.68.4 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 68, Shloka 4

दूतप्रेषणम् — Dispatch of Messengers to Kekaya

Bharata’s Recall

Devanagari script

गच्छन्त्विति तत स्सर्वे वसिष्ठं वाक्यमब्रुवन्।तेषां तद्वचनं श्रूत्वा वसिष्ठो वाक्यमब्रवीत्।।2.68.4।।

Transliteration

gacchantv iti tataḥ sarve vasiṣṭhaṃ vākyam abruvan | teṣāṃ tad-vacanaṃ śrutvā vasiṣṭho vākyam abravīt || 2.68.4 ||

Translation

तेव्हा सर्वांनी वसिष्ठांना म्हणाले—“ते जाऊ देत.” त्यांचे वचन ऐकून वसिष्ठांनी प्रत्युत्तर दिले.

Word by Word

• गच्छन्तु: let them go
• गच्छन्तु: Vidhi (विधि/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural); परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• ततः: then/after that
• ततः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: काल/क्रमवाचक अव्यय (adverb of sequence)

• सर्वे: all (of them)
• सर्वे: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वसिष्ठम्: Vasiṣṭha (to/unto)
• वसिष्ठम्: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); संबोधनार्थे कर्मवत् (addressed person treated as object of speech)

• वाक्यम्: words/speech
• वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अब्रुवन्: said/uttered
• अब्रुवन्: Kriya (क्रिया/finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• तेषाम्: of them/their
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• वचनम्: statement/words
• वचनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal)

• वसिष्ठः: Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वाक्यम्: speech/words
• वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया/finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Context

Let the messengers go, said all of them to Vasistha. On hearing this, Vasistha replied again.

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha

FAQs

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

Dharma in governance includes consulting and then acting under legitimate authority; the council turns to the royal priest, aligning action with ethical and ritual propriety.

What is the narrative situation?

The ministers collectively urge immediate dispatch of messengers, and Vasiṣṭha prepares to issue the formal instructions.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Respect for institutional wisdom and lawful procedure—seeking guidance from the preceptor-priest.