Valmiki Ramayana 2.24.10: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 24, Shloka 10

कौशल्यारामसंवादः

Kausalya–Rama Dialogue on Exile-Dharma

Devanagari script

तथा निगदितं मात्रा तद्वाक्यं पुरुषर्षभः।श्रुत्वा रामोऽब्रवीद्वाक्यं मातरं भृशदुःखिताम्।।2.24.10।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.24.10

Transliteration

tathā nigaditaṃ mātrā tad vākyaṃ puruṣarṣabhaḥ | śrutvā rāmo ’bravīd vākyaṃ mātaraṃ bhṛśa-duḥkhitām ||

Translation

मात्रा तथा निगदितं तद्वाक्यं श्रुत्वा पुरुषर्षभः रामः भृशदुःखितां मातरं प्रति वचनमब्रवीत्।

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Word by Word

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• तथा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb)

• निगदितम्: spoken, uttered
• निगदितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni+gad (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मात्रा: by the mother
• मात्रा: Kartṛ (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन

• तत्-वाक्यम्: those words / that statement
• तत्-वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'तस्य वाक्यम्'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पुरुषर्षभः: best among men
• पुरुषर्षभः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + ṛṣabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (कर्मधारय-प्राय: 'पुरुषेषु ऋषभः'); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; त्वान्त (absolutive/ल्यप्), अव्ययभाव

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अब्रवीत्: said, spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• वाक्यम्: words, a statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मातरम्: to (his) mother
• मातरम्: Sampradāna/Āmantrita (सम्प्रदान/आमन्त्रित-प्रति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• भृश-दुःखिताम्: deeply sorrowful
• भृश-दुःखिताम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhṛśa (अव्यय) + duḥkhita (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-प्राय)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying 'मातरम्')

Context

At these words of his mother who was deeply afflicted Rama, best among men replied:

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Kauśalyā

FAQs

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

Dharma includes responding to grief with composed, responsible speech—Rāma does not react impulsively but answers with moral purpose.

What is the narrative situation?

After Kauśalyā speaks to him in sorrow, the narrative turns to Rāma’s reply, setting up his dharmic reasoning.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s steadiness and gentleness (dhairya and dayā) in consoling a suffering parent.