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

ਫਿਰ ਤਾਂ ਮਨੁਜ-ਇੰਦਰ ਮੇਰੇ ਪਿਤਾ—ਰਾਜਾ—ਜਦੋਂ ਆਪ ਹੁਕਮ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਨ, ਅਤੇ ਤੇਰੀ ਪ੍ਰਿਯ ਇੱਛਾ ਲਈ ਮੈਂ ਪ੍ਰਤਿਗਿਆ ਦਾ ਪਾਲਣ ਕਰ ਰਿਹਾ ਹਾਂ, ਤਾਂ ਇਹ ਕੰਮ ਮੈਂ ਹੋਰ ਵੀ ਕਿੰਨਾ ਵੱਧ ਕਰਨਾ ਹੀ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ!

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.