Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 18, Shloka 16

अष्टादशः सर्गः

Kaikeyī Discloses the Boons: Exile to Daṇḍaka and Bharata’s Consecration

Devanagari script

यतोमूलं नरः पश्येत्प्रादुर्भावमिहात्मनः।कथं तस्मिन्नवर्तेत प्रत्यक्षे सति दैवते।।।।

Transliteration

yato mūlaṃ naraḥ paśyet prādurbhāvam ihātmanaḥ | kathaṃ tasmin na varteta pratyakṣe sati daivate ||

Translation

ਜਦੋਂ ਮਨੁੱਖ ਇਸ ਲੋਕ ਵਿੱਚ ਆਪਣੇ ਉਤਪੱਤੀ ਦੇ ਮੂਲ ਸਰੋਤ ਨੂੰ ਪ੍ਰਤੱਖ ਦੇਖ ਲੈਂਦਾ ਹੈ, ਤਾਂ ਪ੍ਰਤੱਖ ਦੈਵਤ ਸਾਹਮਣੇ ਹੋਣ ਤੇ ਉਹ ਉਸ ਦੇ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ ਵਰਤਣ ਤੋਂ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਰਹਿ ਸਕਦਾ ਹੈ?

Word by Word

• यतः: from which (source)
• यतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बन्ध/हेतु-अव्यय (relative adverb), "from which/whence"

• मूलम्: origin, root
• मूलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• पश्येत्: should see
• पश्येत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• प्रादुर्भावम्: manifestation, coming into being
• प्रादुर्भावम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prādurbhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• इह: here, in this world
• इह: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: देश-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• आत्मनः: of oneself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• तस्मिन्: in him/there (in that)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• वर्तेत: should behave/act
• वर्तेत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛt (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• प्रत्यक्षे: in the visible/present
• प्रत्यक्षे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pratyakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन; विशेषण of दैवते

• सति: when existing/being present
• सति: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: सत्-शतृ (present active participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन; locative absolute with दैवते

• दैवते: in/with the deity (god)
• दैवते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daivata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन

Context

How can a man who owes his origin (birth) in this world to him (father) who still exists as a visible god not conduct himself (as per his wish)?

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha

FAQs

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

Reverence to parents as ‘pratyakṣa-daiva’ (visible divinity) anchors dharma; gratitude for one’s origin demands respectful conduct and obedience.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma explains why it would be unthinkable for him to act against his father’s wishes: the father stands as the manifest source of his life.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Kṛtajñatā (gratitude) and śraddhā (reverent faith) toward the father.