Valmiki Ramayana 2.33.17: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 33, Shloka 17

त्रयस्त्रिंशः सर्गः · Civic Lament and Rama’s Dutiful Approach to Daśaratha

Spoken by Citizens of AyodhyaSetting: Ayodhya (pre-departure)Places named: forest (vana, as destination)Resolve to leave agrarian/household life and follow Rama toward the forest

Devanagari script

उद्यानानि परित्यज्य क्षेत्राणि च गृहाणि च ।

एकदुःखसुखा राममनुगच्छाम धार्मिकम् ॥१७॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.33.17

Transliteration

udyānāni parityajya kṣetrāṇi ca gṛhāṇi ca |

eka-duḥkha-sukhā rāmaṃ anugacchāma dhārmikam ||17||

Translation

Porzucając nasze ogrody, nasze pola i nasze domy, dzieląc tę samą boleść i radość, podążajmy za prawym Rāmą.

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Word by Word

• udyānāni: gardens
• Type: Noun
• Root: udyāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Dvitīyā, Bahuvacana
• Role: Karma (कर्म; object of parityajya)

• parityajya: having abandoned
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√tyaj (परित्यज्)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त): 'having abandoned'
• Role: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)

• kṣetrāṇi: fields
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Dvitīyā, Bahuvacana
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• gṛhāṇi: houses
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Dvitīyā, Bahuvacana
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• ekaduḥkhasukhāḥ: sharing the same sorrow and joy
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक) + sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (sense: 'having one (shared) sorrow and joy'): eka-duḥkha-sukhāḥ; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; qualifying implied 'we'
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• rāmam: Rama
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• anugacchāma: we follow
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√gam (अनुगम्)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra, Uttama-puruṣa, Bahuvacana, Parasmaipada
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• dhārmikam: righteous
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhārmika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; qualifying rāmam
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

Sandhi Notes

• rāmamanugacchāma = rāmam + anugacchāma
• ekaduḥkhasukhā = eka-duḥkha-sukhāḥ (visarga per metrical/orthographic variation)

Context

Deserting our gardens, fields and houses and experiencing the same joy and sorrow of the virtuous Rama, we shall follow him.

The teaching

True community forms around dharma: sharing the leader’s sukha-duḥkha is higher than clinging to possessions.

Duties in tension

• Duty to maintain household/agriculture and local obligations
• Duty of loyalty to dhārmika leadership and moral protest against adharma
• Personal welfare vs collective righteousness

Ethical theme

Renunciation for righteousness

How it resolves

Renunciation and solidarity with the righteous

For your practice

Practice of saṅkalpa and samatva; inspires devotees to align life with dharma even at material cost.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Vira (heroism), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Renunciant, steadfast, communal

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Maryada
• Itihasa
• Ethics

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Ayodhyā (implied)
• gardens

FAQs

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

Solidarity with righteousness: when a dhārmic leader suffers for truth and duty, the community chooses shared sacrifice over private comfort.

What is the narrative situation?

Ayodhyā’s people, distressed by Rāma’s exile, resolve to leave their possessions and accompany him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s dharmic authority (moral legitimacy) that inspires voluntary renunciation and loyalty in others.