Valmiki Ramayana 2.46.28: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 46, Shloka 28

तमसातीरवासः · Night on the Bank of the Tamasa and the Stratagem to Elude the Citizens

Setting: Tamasā River crossing (near Ayodhyā region)Places named: Tamasā (river)Early stage of forest-bound journey; first major natural boundary

Devanagari script

तं स्यन्दनमधिष्ठाय राघव स्सपरिच्छदः ।

शीघ्रगामाकुलावर्तां तमसामतरन्नदीम् ॥२८॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.46.28

Transliteration

taṁ syandanam adhiṣṭhāya rāghavaḥ sa-paricchadaḥ |

śīghra-gāmākulāvartāṁ tamasām ataran nadīm ||28||

Translation

Wsiadając na ten rydwan ze swymi niezbędnymi rzeczami, Rāghava przekroczył rzekę Tamasā, szybką i burzliwą, pełną wirów.

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Word by Word

• tam: that
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (pronoun/सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• syandanam: chariot
• Type: Noun
• Root: syandana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• adhiṣṭhāya: having mounted
• Type: Verb
• Root: adhi-√sthā (धातु)
• Form: Ktvānta (क्त्वान्त/absolutive), having done; Upasarga: adhi-; sense: 'having mounted/ascended'
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)

• rāghavaḥ: Rāghava (Rama)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• saparicchadaḥ: with belongings/retinue
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa-paricchada (प्रातिपदिक: sa + paricchada)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) with prefix-like 'sa-' = 'with'; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with rāghavaḥ
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• śīghragām: swift-flowing
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śīghragāmin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) śīghra+gāmin; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies nadīm
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• ākulāvartām: turbulent with whirlpools
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ākulāvarta (प्रातिपदिक: ākula + āvarta)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय); Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies nadīm
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• tamasām: of Tamasa
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamasā (प्रातिपदिक; river-name)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)

• atarat: crossed
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tṝ (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (लङ्, imperfect/past), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• nadīm: river
• Type: Noun
• Root: nadī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

Sandhi Notes

• syandanam adhiṣṭhāya < syandanam+adhiṣṭhāya
• rāghavaḥ saparicchadaḥ < rāghavaḥ+saparicchadaḥ
• tamasām atarat < tamasām+atarat

Context

Rama (along with others) mounted the chariot with his belongings, crossed the rapidly flowing Tamasa agitated with whirlpools.

The teaching

Dharma-journey begins with crossing the first turbulence; steadiness is proven in motion, not in words.

Ethical theme

Dṛḍha-prayāṇa / tapas-in-action

For your practice

Meditative contemplation on ‘crossing over’ inner turbulence; useful for japa before travel or transitions.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Vira (heroism), with Adbhuta (wonder)

Mood

Swift, threshold-crossing, turbulent

Themes

• Dharma
• Maryada
• Itihasa
• Ethics
• Journey
• Exile

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rama (Raghava)
• chariot (syandana)

FAQs

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

Perseverance in righteous duty: even difficult crossings become part of the disciplined path undertaken for truth and obligation.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama departs by chariot and crosses the Tamasa river on the way toward the forest.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfastness—moving forward without wavering despite physical hardship and emotional weight.