Valmiki Ramayana 2.4.10: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 4, Shloka 10

अयोध्याकाण्डे चतुर्थः सर्गः · Rāma Summoned; Pushya Coronation Decision

Setting: Daśaratha+cs palace in AyodhyāPlaces named: Ayodhyā (implied)Approach/entry into the inner palace

Devanagari script

प्रविशन्नेव च श्रीमान्राघवो भवनं पितुः ।

ददर्श पितरं दूरात्प्रणिपत्य कृताञ्जलिः ॥१०॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.4.10

Transliteration

praviśann eva ca śrīmān rāghavo bhavanaṃ pituḥ |

dadarśa pitaraṃ dūrāt praṇipatya kṛtāñjaliḥ ||10||

Translation

Tatkala Śrīmān Rāghava melangkah masuk ke istana ayahandanya, baginda melihat ayahandanya dari jauh; lalu dengan tangan dirapatkan (añjali), baginda bersujud memberi hormat.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• प्रविशन्: entering
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + विश् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (शतृ-प्रत्यय, वर्तमानकालिक कृदन्त/present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘entering’
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• एव: just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (just/indeed)
• Role: Nipata (निपात)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय
• Role: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)

• श्रीमान्: illustrious
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; राघवस्य विशेषणम्
• Role: Karta-dharma (कर्तृधर्म/विशेषण)

• राघवः: Raghava (Rama)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• भवनम्: the palace
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/गत्यर्थक-लक्ष्य), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• पितुः: of (his) father
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)

• ददर्श: saw
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• पितरम्: his father
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• दूरात्: from afar
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; पञ्चमी-अर्थे अव्ययीभाव (ablatival adverb) ‘from a distance’
• Role: Apadana (अपादान)

• प्रणिपत्य: having bowed
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नि + पत् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त्वा/ल्यप्, gerund) ‘having bowed down’
• Role: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)

• कृताञ्जलिः: with folded hands
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः कृतः अञ्जलिः यस्य सः = कृताञ्जलिः (तत्पुरुष)
• Role: Karta-dharma (कर्तृधर्म/विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

Sandhi Notes

• प्रविशन्नेव = प्रविशन् + एव
• श्रीमान्राघवः = श्रीमान् + राघवः
• दूरात्प्रणिपत्य = दूरात् + प्रणिपत्य
• कृताञ्जलिः = कृत + अञ्जलिः

Context

On entering his father's palace, glorious Rama, folded his hands and bent low in reverence from a distance and beheld his father.

The teaching

Vinaya toward parents and elders is itself dharma; authority is approached through humility, not entitlement.

Ethical theme

Sadācāra / filial duty

Devotion and practice

Practice of namaskāra and humility as daily discipline; seeing service to parents/elders as worship.

Deity praised

pitṛ as pratyakṣa-devatā (implicit)

Form of praise

Vandana (salutation)

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shanta (peace), with Vira (heroism)

Mood

Humble, devout, composed

Themes

• Dharma
• Filial duty
• Maryada
• Itihasa

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (Rāghava)
• Daśaratha
• palace (bhavana)

FAQs

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

It models pitṛbhakti and maryādā: honoring one’s father through humility and respectful greeting.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma arrives at Daśaratha’s residence and formally pays respect before speaking.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reverence and self-restraint—Rāma’s disciplined etiquette in the royal household.