Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 111, Shloka 1

अयोध्याकाण्डे एकादशोत्तरशततमः सर्गः

Sarga 111: Counsel on Gurus, Parental Debt, and Bharata’s Protest

Devanagari script

वसिष्ठस्तु तदा राममुक्त्वा राजपुरोहितः।अब्रवीद्धर्मसंयुक्तं पुनरेवापरं वचः।।।।

Transliteration

vasiṣṭhas tu tadā rāmam uktvā rāja-purohitaḥ | abravīd dharma-saṃyuktaṃ punar evāparaṃ vacaḥ ||

Translation

तदा राजपुरोहितो वसिष्ठः राममुक्त्वा, धर्मसंयुक्तं पुनरेवापरं वचोऽब्रवीत्।

Word by Word

• वसिष्ठः: Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: but/then
• तु: वाक्य-सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/अन्वय (but/and then)

• तदा: then
• तदा: काल (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• रामम्: to Rama
• रामम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of उक्त्वा/अब्रवीत्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• उक्त्वा: having spoken
• उक्त्वा: पूर्वक्रिया (Gerundial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• राजपुरोहितः: the royal priest
• राजपुरोहितः: अपादान/विशेषणवत् कर्ता (Appositional to subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् + पुरोहित (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (royal priest)

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• धर्मसंयुक्तम्: connected with dharma
• धर्मसंयुक्तम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of वचः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + संयुक्त (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थे (connected with righteousness)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: क्रिया-विशेषण (Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति-वाचक-अव्यय (adverb: again)

• एव: indeed
• एव: वाक्य-सम्बन्ध (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• अपरम्: another
• अपरम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of वचः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• वचः: speech/words
• वचः: कर्म (Karma/Object of अब्रवीत्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

Context

Vasistha, the family priest, continued to speak to Rama on righteousness.

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Rāma

FAQs

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

Dharma requires deliberate teaching and reflection: righteous conduct is strengthened through counsel from legitimate moral authorities.

What is the narrative situation?

A transition verse: the text signals that Vasiṣṭha is continuing his dharma-centered discourse to Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Guru-śiṣya receptivity: the ideal of listening to wise guidance in moments of decision.