Valmiki Ramayana 2.36.16 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 36, Shloka 16

अयोध्याकाण्डे षट्त्रिंशः सर्गः

Daśaratha’s orders for Rama’s escort; Kaikeyi’s fear; the Asamañjasa precedent

Devanagari script

वैव वंशे सगरो ज्येष्ठं पुत्रमुपारुधत्।असमञ्ज इति ख्यातं तथायं गन्तुमर्हति।।।।

Transliteration

tavaiva vaṃśe sagaro jyeṣṭhaṃ putram upārudhat | asamañja iti khyātaṃ tathāyaṃ gantum arhati || 2.36.16 ||

Translation

Dalam keturunan tuanku sendiri, Raja Sagara pernah menyingkirkan putera sulungnya yang terkenal sebagai Asamañja; demikian juga Rāma ini patut dihantar pergi dengan cara yang sama.

Word by Word

• tava: your
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (षष्ठी) Singular

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण)

• vaṃśe: in the dynasty
• vaṃśe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaṃśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (सप्तमी) Singular

• sagaraḥ: Sagara
• sagaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sagara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular

• jyeṣṭham: eldest
• jyeṣṭham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jyeṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया) Singular; adjective of putram

• putram: son
• putram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया) Singular

• upārudhat: restrained/prevented
• upārudhat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-rudh (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्) aorist; Parasmaipada; Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person) Singular

• asamañjaḥ: Asamañja (Asamanjasa)
• asamañjaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asamañja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular; name/epithet

• iti: as/thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle

• khyātam: was known
• khyātam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: khyā (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त); Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular; predicative with (tat) understood: 'was known'

• tathā: in the same way
• tathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (तथावाचक अव्यय)

• ayam: this (one)
• ayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular

• gantum: to go
• gantum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्)

• arhati: is fit/deserves
• arhati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arh (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्) present; Parasmaipada; Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person) Singular

Context

In your own dynasty king Sagara prevented his well-known eldest son Asamanjasa (from enjoying the kingdom). Rama also should depart in the same manner.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha
• Sagara
• Asamañja
• Rāma
• Ikṣvāku (dynasty)

FAQs

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

It raises the question of precedent in rāja-dharma: past dynastic examples are invoked to justify political decisions—yet precedent can be misapplied when motives are not righteous.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī attempts to legitimize Rāma’s exile by citing an earlier Ikṣvāku case where an eldest son was excluded.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse foregrounds political reasoning (nyāya/precedent) rather than virtue; implicitly it tests Daśaratha’s discernment to separate dharmic precedent from self-serving rhetoric.