Valmiki Ramayana 2.2.39: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 2, Shloka 39

यौवराज्य-प्रस्तावः

Proposal for Rāma’s Installation as Heir-Apparent

Devanagari script

शुश्रूषन्ते च व श्शिष्याः कच्चित्कर्मसु दंशिताः ॥३९॥

इति नः पुरुषव्याघ्र स्सदा रामोऽभिभाषते ।

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.2.39

Transliteration

śuśrūṣante ca vaḥ śiṣyāḥ kaccit karmasu daṃśitāḥ ||39||

iti naḥ puruṣavyāghraḥ sadā rāmo 'bhibhāṣate |

Translation

“Adakah para muridmu berkhidmat dengan hormat dan melaksanakan tugas mereka dengan baik?”—demikianlah Rama, harimau di antara manusia, sentiasa bertanya kepada kami.

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Word by Word

• śuśrūṣante: they serve/attend
• śuśrūṣante: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śuśrūṣ (धातु-आधारित; desiderative from √śru)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चयार्थक-निपात)

• vaḥ: of you/your
• vaḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• śiṣyāḥ: disciples
• śiṣyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• kaccit: whether (indeed)?
• kaccit: Prayojaka/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kaccit (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative particle (प्रश्नार्थक-निपात)

• karmasu: in duties/tasks
• karmasu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• daṃśitāḥ: trained/competent
• daṃśitāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daṃśita (प्रातिपदिक; past passive participle from √daṃś/√daś)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-marker (उद्धरणसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-निपात)

• naḥ: to us/us
• naḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• puruṣavyāghraḥ: tiger among men (best of men)
• puruṣavyāghraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa + vyāghra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); compound: ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘tiger among men’

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (कालवाचक)

• rāmaḥ: Rama
• rāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• abhibhāṣate: speaks to/addresses (asks)
• abhibhāṣate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi√bhāṣ (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

Context

Rama, a tiger among men, always enquires whether our disciples discharge their duties.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma

FAQs

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

Respect for teachers and institutional dharma: a ruler values disciplined service, proper conduct, and the healthy functioning of learning and duty.

What is the narrative situation?

While describing Rāma’s character, the ministers report how he regularly checks on the well-being and discipline of those connected to them.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Attentive leadership and humility—Rāma’s concern extends to educators and their disciples, reflecting social responsibility.