Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 19, Shloka 8

एकोनविंशः सर्गः (Sarga 19): Rāma’s Unshaken Acceptance of Exile and Kaikeyī’s Urgency

Devanagari script

किं पुनर्मनुजेन्द्रेण स्वयं पित्रा प्रचोदितः।तव च प्रियकामार्थं प्रतिज्ञामनुपालयन्।।2.19.8।।

Transliteration

kiṃ punar manujendreṇa svayaṃ pitrā pracoditaḥ | tava ca priya-kāmārthaṃ pratijñām anupālayan || 2.19.8 ||

Translation

ତେବେ ମନୁଜେନ୍ଦ୍ର ମୋର ପିତା—ରାଜା—ସ୍ୱୟଂ ଯେତେବେଳେ ଆଦେଶ ଦେଇଛନ୍ତି, ଏବଂ ତୁମ ପ୍ରିୟ ଇଚ୍ଛା ପୂରଣ ପାଇଁ ମୁଁ ପ୍ରତିଜ୍ଞା ପାଳନ କରୁଛି, ତେବେ ତାହା କେତେ ଅଧିକ ଭାବେ କରିବା ଉଚିତ!

Word by Word

• किम्: what/why
• किम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative particle)

• पुनः: moreover; needless to say
• पुनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, पुनरुक्ति/अधिक्यसूचक (again; moreover)

• मनुजेन्द्रेण: by the king (lord of men)
• मनुजेन्द्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुजेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः मनुज + इन्द्र (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘मनुजानाम् इन्द्रः’)

• स्वयम्: personally; himself
• स्वयम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, आत्मनः/स्वतः (oneself; personally)

• पित्रा: by (his) father
• पित्रा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• प्रचोदितः: having been urged/commanded
• प्रचोदितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-चुद् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थः ‘having been urged/ordered’

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• प्रियकामार्थम्: for (your) desired pleasure’s sake
• प्रियकामार्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय + काम + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; समासः प्रियकामस्य अर्थः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• प्रतिज्ञाम्: promise
• प्रतिज्ञाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• अनुपालयन्: keeping; observing
• अनुपालयन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-पाल् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त, शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

Context

In order to keep the promise I shall do everything to fulfil your desire. Needless to say that my father has ordered this.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Daśaratha
• Kauśalyā

FAQs

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

Satya as lived dharma: keeping a promise and honoring a rightful command are treated as non-negotiable moral duties.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma continues persuading his mother that his compliance is doubly justified—by royal command and by the obligation to uphold a pledged word.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fidelity to vows (pratijñā-pālana): Rāma’s identity is anchored in promise-keeping.