Valmiki Ramayana 2.1.40-41: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 1, Shlokas 40-41
गुणप्रशंसा-युवराजनिर्णयः
Praise of Rama’s Virtues and the Decision on the Heir-Apparent
Setting: अयोध्या
इत्येतैर्विविधैस्तैस्तैरन्यपार्थिवदुर्लभैः ॥४०॥
शिष्टैरपरिमेयैश्च लोके लोकोत्तरैर्गुणैः ।
तं समीक्ष्य महाराजो युक्तं समुदितैश्शुभैः ॥४१॥
निश्चित्य सचिवैस्सार्धं युवराजममन्यत ।
ity etair vividhais tais tair anyapārthivadurlabhaiḥ ||40||
śiṣṭair aparimeyaiś ca loke lokottarair guṇaiḥ |
taṃ samīkṣya mahārājo yuktaṃ samuditaiḥ śubhaiḥ ||41||
niścitya sacivaiḥ sārdhaṃ yuvarājam amanyata |
Tak więc, obserwując go obdarzonego wieloma rodzajami pomyślnych, chwalebnych, niezmierzonych cnót, rzadkich wśród innych królów i wyjątkowych na świecie, wielki król, po podjęciu decyzji wraz ze swymi ministrami, postanowił uważać go za Juwaradżę, księcia koronnego.
Sandhi Notes
- इत्येतैः→इति एतैः
- तैस्तैः→तैः तैः
- अन्यपार्थिवदुर्लभैः (समास)
- शिष्टैरपरिमेयैश्च→शिष्टैः अपरिमेयैः च
- लोकोत्तरैर्गुणैः→लोकोत्तरैः गुणैः
- तं समीक्ष्य→तम् समीक्ष्य
- समुदितैश्शुभैः→समुदितैः शुभैः
- सचिवैस्सार्धं→सचिवैः सार्धम्
- युवराजममन्यत→युवराजम् अमन्यत
King Dasaratha in consultation with his ministers observed that Rama is endowed with various virtues not found in other kings, immeasurable virtues which are praiseworthy, and exemplary. He is distinguished in this world as all qualities seem to have merged in him. The king then made up his mind to make him prince-regent.
The teaching
राजा गुण-परिक्षया लोकहितं दृष्ट्वा योग्यं युवराजं नियोजयेत्।
- Ethical theme
- राजधर्म/नीति
- How it resolves
- राजधर्मानुसार उत्तराधिकारी-नियोजन
For your practice
गुण-चिन्तनं, नेतृत्वे विवेकः, सेवक-परामर्श-स्वीकारः
Mood and themes
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism), with Adbhuta (wonder)
- Mood
- राजधर्म-निर्णय, गौरव, आश्वस्ति
Themes
- Dharma
- Kingship
- Statecraft
- Ethics
- Itihasa
गुणसम्पन्नस्य अधिकारित्वम्—अधिकारि-भेदेन कार्य-नियोजन (कर्तृत्वे गुण-योग्यता)
कठोपनिषद् 1.2—श्रेयः/प्रेयः विवेकः (राजा श्रेयः-मार्गे उत्तराधिकारी-निर्णयः)
अयोध्याकाण्ड 2.2 (युवराजाभिषेक-प्रकरणे निर्णय-प्रसङ्गाः); बालकाण्ड 1.18-1.20 (रामगुण-प्रशंसा); रामचरितमानस अयोध्याकाण्ड (राम-राज्याभिषेक-उद्योग)
राजसूय/अभिषेक-विधि-स्मृति-परम्परा
2.1.42 (रामस्य लोके सम्प्रियत्वम्); 2.1.45 (प्रधानान् आह्वानम्)
अनुष्टुप्
Narrative
मध्यम-गम्भीर (उदात्त-प्रधान)
FAQs
Rājadharma requires discerning merit and appointing a successor through counsel, not whim—virtue and public good guide the decision.
After evaluating Rāma’s exceptional qualities, Daśaratha consults ministers and decides to make him crown prince.
Rāma’s comprehensive excellence (guṇas) and Daśaratha’s adherence to consultative governance.
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