Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 111, Shloka 32

अयोध्याकाण्डे एकादशोत्तरशततमः सर्गः

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

Devanagari script

वृतो हि राजा कैकेय्या मया तद्वचनं कृतम्।अनृतान्मोचयानेन पितरं तं महीपतिम्।।।।

Transliteration

vṛto hi rājā kaikeyyā mayā tad-vacanaṃ kṛtam | anṛtān mocaya anena pitaraṃ taṃ mahīpatim ||

Translation

कैकेय्या वृतो हि राजा; मया तद्वचनं कृतम्। अनेन कर्मणा तं पितरं महीपतिं अनृतकलङ्कात् मोचय॥

Word by Word

• वृतः: solicited/entreated
• वृतः: विशेषण (Qualifier of राजा)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृ (धातु) → वृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्तरि कृदन्त (past passive participle used in active sense: 'chosen/solicited'), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; राजा इति विशेषणम्

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: हेतु/बल (Emphasis/Reason marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; explanatory/emphatic)

• राजा: the king
• राजा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कैकेय्या: by Kaikeyi
• कैकेय्या: करण/कर्ता-हेतु (Agent/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैकेयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: कर्ता (Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वचनम् इति विशेषणम्

• वचनम्: word/promise
• वचनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कृतम्: fulfilled/done
• कृतम्: क्रिया (Predicate: 'done/fulfilled')
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) used predicatively; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अनृतात्: from falsehood
• अनृतात्: अपादान (Source: 'from falsehood')
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मोचय: release
• मोचय: क्रिया (Imperative action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु) + णिच् → मोचय (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अनेन: by this/thereby
• अनेन: करण (Instrument: 'by this/thereby')
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पितरम्: father
• पितरम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तम्: that
• तम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पितरम् इति विशेषणम्

• महीपतिम्: lord of the earth (king)
• महीपतिम्: कर्म (Object; apposition to पितरम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: मही-पतिः (lord of the earth)

Context

The king (Dasaratha) was solicited by Kaikeyi and I shall abide. Therefore, you also release the lord of the earth, our father from the charge of falsehood.ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē ayōdhyākāṇḍē ēkādaśōttaraśatatamassargaḥ৷৷Thus ends the hundredeleventh sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Bharata
• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī

FAQs

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

Satya as dharma: Rāma treats the king’s pledged word as binding and chooses exile so that Daśaratha is not marked as false—upholding truth over immediate power.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma justifies his obedience to the exile-command arising from Kaikeyī’s demand, and urges Bharata to see this as a way to preserve Daśaratha’s truthfulness.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Integrity and filial loyalty: Rāma sacrifices personal kingship to protect his father’s reputation for truth and the sanctity of royal promises.