Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 31, Shloka 8

सुन्‍दरकाण्डे एकत्रिंशः सर्गः

Hanuman’s Sweet Address to Sita and Sita’s Recognition

Devanagari script

तस्य सत्याभिसन्धस्य वृद्धस्य वचनात्पितुः।सभार्यस्सह च भ्रात्रा वीरः प्रव्राजितो वनम्।।।।

Transliteration

tasya satyābhisandhasya vṛddhasya vacanāt pituḥ | sabhāryaḥ saha ca bhrātrā vīraḥ pravrājito vanam ||

Translation

Para honrar a palavra de seu pai idoso, firme na verdade, aquele herói partiu ao exílio na floresta, junto de sua esposa e de seu irmão.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (contextual pronoun)

• सत्य-अभिसन्धस्य: of the truth-steadfast one
• सत्य-अभिसन्धस्य: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिसन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; तत्पुरुष-समास (सत्ये अभिसन्धः यस्य/सत्याभिसन्धः = truth-resolved/steadfast in truth)

• वृद्धस्य: of the aged
• वृद्धस्य: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• वचनात्: from/according to the word (command)
• वचनात्: अपादान (Source/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; हेतौ/निमित्ते (because of/as per)

• पितुः: of (his) father
• पितुः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• स-भार्यः: with (his) wife
• स-भार्यः: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (सह-अर्थक उपसर्गवत्/अव्यय-पूर्वपद) + भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; अव्ययीभाव-समास (भार्यया सह = with (his) wife)

• सह: together with
• सह: सहकारक-सूचक (Associative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक-निपात (particle meaning 'together/with')

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• भ्रात्रा: with (his) brother
• भ्रात्रा: सहकारी/सह-करण (Associate/Instrumental of accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; सहार्थे (in sense of accompaniment)

• वीरः: the hero
• वीरः: कर्ता (Agent/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• प्रव्राजितः: was exiled / went forth
• प्रव्राजितः: क्रिया (Predicate; passive/participial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त: भूतकर्मणि/भूतकालिक-कर्तरि प्रयोगे क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle, -ta); प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; अर्थ: 'sent/banished/went forth as an exile'

• वनम्: to the forest
• वनम्: कर्म (Object/Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; गत्यर्थे (destination)

Context

"Honouring the word of his aged father who was ever steadfast in truth, Rama left for the forest along with his wife and brother.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Daśaratha (father, implied)
• Sītā (wife, implied)
• Lakṣmaṇa (brother, implied)
• vana (forest)
• satya

FAQs

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

Satya and filial duty: honoring an elder’s pledged word is treated as dharma even when it demands personal loss and exile.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā recalls the cause of their forest life: Rāma’s acceptance of exile to uphold his father’s promise.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Integrity and obedience to truth-bound duty—choosing dharma over comfort and kingship.