Valmiki Ramayana 2.12.97: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 97

द्वादशः सर्गः — Kaikeyi’s Boons and Dasaratha’s Moral Collapse

Ayodhya Kanda 12

Devanagari script

कथं रथैर्विभुर्यात्वा गजाश्वैश्च मुहुर्मुहुः।।।।पद्भ्यां रामो महारण्ये वत्सो मे विचरिष्यति।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.12.97

Transliteration

kathaṃ rathair vibhur yātvā gajāśvaiś ca muhur muhuḥ, padbhyāṃ rāmo mahāraṇye vatso me vicariṣyati.

Translation

Как будет бродить пешком по великой чаще мой дорогой сын Рама, привыкший снова и снова ездить в царском величии на колесницах, слонах и конях?

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Word by Word

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• रथैः: by chariots
• रथैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन

• विभुः: the prince/lord
• विभुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेष्य (apposition) रामस्य

• यात्वा: having gone (riding)
• यात्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund); ‘having gone/rode’

• गजाश्वैः: by elephants and horses
• गजाश्वैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज-अश्व (प्रातिपदिक; गज + अश्व)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (copulative: elephants and horses); पुल्लिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• मुहुः: again and again
• मुहुः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time/frequency)

• मुहुः: repeatedly
• मुहुः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरुक्ति (reduplication for emphasis)

• पद्भ्याम्: on foot (with the feet)
• पद्भ्याम्: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया, द्विवचन

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महारण्ये: in the great forest
• महारण्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक; महा + अरण्य)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन

• वत्सः: my dear son
• वत्सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition to रामः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; स्नेहवाचक (term of endearment)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी, एकवचन (enclitic)

• विचरिष्यति: will roam
• विचरिष्यति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: वि-

Context

How will my son, Rama, who used to ride on chariots, elephants and horses roam the wilderness barefoot?

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī
• Rāma
• Chariot
• Elephants
• Horses
• Great forest (mahāraṇya)

FAQs

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

Dharma is inseparable from compassion: a righteous order should not impose needless suffering on the innocent, especially the worthy.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha imagines the physical hardship awaiting Rāma in exile and grieves over the reversal of his son’s royal life.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Daśaratha’s parental love and protective instinct, which also reflects the king’s duty to safeguard the deserving.