Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 109, Shloka 4

सत्यधर्मप्रतिपादनम्

Rama’s Defense of Truth and Dharma in Reply to Jabali

Devanagari script

कुलीनमकुलीनं वा वीरं पुरुषमानिनम्।चारित्रमेव व्याख्याति शुचिं वा यदि वाऽशुचिम्।।2.109.4।।

Transliteration

kulīnam akulīnaṃ vā vīraṃ puruṣamāninam |

cāritram eva vyākhyāti śuciṃ vā yadi vā'śucim || 2.109.4 ||

Translation

ମନୁଷ୍ୟ କୁଳୀନ ହେଉ କି ଅକୁଳୀନ, ସତ୍ୟ ବୀର ହେଉ କି କେବଳ ପୁରୁଷତ୍ୱର ଅଭିମାନୀ, ଶୁଚି ହେଉ କି ଅଶୁଚି—ତାହାର ସତ୍ୟତାକୁ ପ୍ରକାଶ କରେ କେବଳ ଚରିତ୍ର ମାତ୍ର।

Word by Word

• कुलीनम्: high-born
• कुलीनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुलीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• अकुलीनम्: low-born
• अकुलीनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकुलीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक निपात (disjunctive particle ‘or’)

• वीरम्: brave
• वीरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• पुरुषमानिनम्: proud of his manliness
• पुरुषमानिनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरुष-मानिन् (प्रातिपदिक); पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक) + मानिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (पुरुषत्वे मानिन् = proud of manliness)

• चारित्रम्: character
• चारित्रम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चारित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• एव: alone/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle ‘only/indeed’)

• व्याख्याति: proclaims/declares
• व्याख्याति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + आ + ख्या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शुचिम्: pure
• शुचिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक निपात

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Condition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक (conditional ‘if’)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक निपात

• अशुचिम्: impure
• अशुचिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

Context

Men superior to you in preceding generations had conquered this world and the other world by always performing many auspicious acts. Twice-born brahmins perform religious acts and offer libations for the welfare of the world.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma

FAQs

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

Dharma is measured by lived conduct (cāritra), not by birth-status, outward reputation, or self-asserted masculinity.

What is the narrative situation?

In the forest-exile episode, Rāma responds to counsel by grounding his position in dharma: social labels and claims are secondary to moral character.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Integrity—inner moral consistency that makes purity, nobility, and courage genuine rather than performative.