Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 58, Shloka 32

अष्टपञ्चाशः सर्गः (Sarga 58)

Daśaratha Questions Sumantra; Messages from the Forest Threshold

Devanagari script

सर्वर्लोकप्रियं त्यक्त्वा सर्वलोकहिते रतम्।सर्वलोकोऽनुरज्येत कथं त्वाऽनेनकर्मणा।।।।

Transliteration

sarvalokapriyaṃ tyaktvā sarvalokahite ratam |

sarvaloko ’nurajyeta kathaṃ tvā ’nena karmaṇā ||

Translation

“ਸਭ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਦੇ ਪ੍ਰਿਯ ਅਤੇ ਸਭ ਦੇ ਹਿਤ ਵਿੱਚ ਰਤ ਰਾਮ ਨੂੰ ਤਿਆਗ ਕੇ, ਇਸ ਕਰਤੂਤ ਨਾਲ ਜਗਤ ਤੇਰੇ ਨਾਲ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਪ੍ਰਸੰਨ ਹੋਵੇਗਾ?”

Word by Word

• sarvalokapriyam: beloved of all
• sarvalokapriyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक) + priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: sarvasya lokasya priyam = 'dear to all people'

• tyaktvā: having abandoned
• tyaktvā: Pūrvakriyā (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tyaj (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund): 'having abandoned'

• sarvalokahite: in the welfare of all
• sarvalokahite: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक) + hita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: sarvasya lokasya hitam = 'welfare of all'

• ratam: devoted
• ratam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'devoted/engaged' (qualifies implied 'him/Rama')

• sarvalokaḥ: the whole world
• sarvalokaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarvaloka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: sarvaḥ lokaḥ = 'the whole world'

• anurajyeta: would be pleased/attached
• anurajyeta: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu+rañj (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• katham: how
• katham: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• tvā: you
• tvā: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• anena: by this
• anena: Karaṇa (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• karmaṇā: act/deed
• karmaṇā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

Context

That glorious princess Sita who had never experienced any adversity earlier, weeping with sorrow, could not even speak to me anything.

Characters & Entities

• Dasharatha
• Rama
• Lakshmana

FAQs

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

A ruler’s legitimacy depends on dharma and loka-hita (public welfare); abandoning a dharmic heir undermines moral authority.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakshmana rebukes the decision that sends Rama away, arguing it will alienate the people.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s universal benevolence (sarvalokahita) and Lakshmana’s courage to speak moral truth.