Valmiki Ramayana 2.18.16: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 18, Shloka 16

अष्टादशः सर्गः

Kaikeyī Discloses the Boons: Exile to Daṇḍaka and Bharata’s Consecration

Devanagari script

यतोमूलं नरः पश्येत्प्रादुर्भावमिहात्मनः।कथं तस्मिन्नवर्तेत प्रत्यक्षे सति दैवते।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.18.16

Transliteration

yato mūlaṃ naraḥ paśyet prādurbhāvam ihātmanaḥ | kathaṃ tasmin na varteta pratyakṣe sati daivate ||

Translation

यदा नरः प्रत्यक्षं स्वोत्पत्तिमूलं जगति पश्यति, तस्मिन् दृश्यमाने दैवते सति कथं न तदनुरूपं वर्तेत?

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Word by Word

• यतः: from which (source)
• यतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बन्ध/हेतु-अव्यय (relative adverb), "from which/whence"

• मूलम्: origin, root
• मूलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• पश्येत्: should see
• पश्येत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• प्रादुर्भावम्: manifestation, coming into being
• प्रादुर्भावम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prādurbhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• इह: here, in this world
• इह: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: देश-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• आत्मनः: of oneself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• तस्मिन्: in him/there (in that)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• वर्तेत: should behave/act
• वर्तेत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛt (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• प्रत्यक्षे: in the visible/present
• प्रत्यक्षे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pratyakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन; विशेषण of दैवते

• सति: when existing/being present
• सति: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: सत्-शतृ (present active participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन; locative absolute with दैवते

• दैवते: in/with the deity (god)
• दैवते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daivata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन

Context

How can a man who owes his origin (birth) in this world to him (father) who still exists as a visible god not conduct himself (as per his wish)?

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha

FAQs

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

Reverence to parents as ‘pratyakṣa-daiva’ (visible divinity) anchors dharma; gratitude for one’s origin demands respectful conduct and obedience.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma explains why it would be unthinkable for him to act against his father’s wishes: the father stands as the manifest source of his life.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Kṛtajñatā (gratitude) and śraddhā (reverent faith) toward the father.