Shloka 16

Devanagari script

यावत्त्वं न वनं यातः पुरादस्मादभित्वरन्।पिता तावन्न ते राम स्नास्यते भोक्ष्यतेऽपि वा।।2.19.16।।

Transliteration

yāvat tvaṃ na vanaṃ yātaḥ purād asmād abhitvaran |

pitā tāvan na te rāma snāsyate bhokṣyate 'pi vā || 2.19.16 ||

Translation

Wahai Rāma, selagi engkau belum segera meninggalkan kota ini menuju rimba, ayahandamu tidak akan mandi, bahkan tidak akan makan.

Word by Word

यावत्as long as

त्वम्you

नnot

वनम्to the forest

यातःgone; (you) go

पुरात्from the city

अस्मात्from this

अभित्वरन्hastening

पिताfather

तावत्till then

नnot

तेyour

रामO Rama

स्नास्यतेwill bathe

भोक्ष्यतेwill eat

अपिeven; also

वाor

Context

O Rama!, as long as you do not hasten to leave this city for the forest, your father will neither bathe nor eat.

Characters & Entities

Rāma

Daśaratha (father, implied)

Ayodhyā (implied by 'this city')

Forest (vana)

FAQs

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

Dharma is framed as urgency to fulfill a pledged word; however, the verse also illustrates ethically problematic pressure—using the king’s suffering to compel immediate compliance.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī insists Rāma must depart quickly, claiming Daśaratha will not perform normal acts (bathing/eating) until he does.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s readiness to bear hardship for duty; Daśaratha’s grief-stricken incapacity is also highlighted.