Valmiki Ramayana 2.39.15: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 39, Shloka 15

एकोनचत्वारिंशः सर्गः · Dasaratha’s Lament, Sumantra’s Commission, and Sita’s Vow of Marital Dharma

Spoken by King DaśarathaSetting: अयोध्या (Ayodhyā)Allocation of supplies for exile duration

Devanagari script

वासांसि च महार्हाणि भूषणानि वराणि च ।

वर्षाण्येतानि सङ्ख्याय वैदेह्याः क्षिप्रमानय ॥१५॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.39.15

Transliteration

vāsāṃsi ca mahārhāṇi bhūṣaṇāni varāṇi ca |

varṣāṇy etāni saṅkhyāya vaidehyāḥ kṣipram ānaya ||15||

Translation

वासांसि महार्हाणि भूषणानि वराणि च; एतानि वर्षाणि सङ्ख्याय वैदेह्याः क्षिप्रम् आनय।

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Word by Word

• वासांसि: garments
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• महार्हाणि: very valuable
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महार्ह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (very + valuable)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• भूषणानि: ornaments
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• वराणि: excellent/choice
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; भूषणानि/वासांसि इत्यादीनां विशेषण
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• वर्षाणि: years
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• एतानि: these
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; वर्षाणि इति विशेषण
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• सङ्ख्याय: having counted/calculated
• Type: Verb
• Root: सङ्ख्या (धातु/नामधातु from संख्या)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), पूर्वकाल; गणयित्वा (having counted)
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया-अनुषङ्ग)

• वैदेह्याः: for Vaidehī (Sītā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैदेही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/dative) एकवचन (singular) (Vedic/epic variant ending -yāḥ)
• Role: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)

• क्षिप्रम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षिप्रम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)

• आनय: bring/fetch
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु) + आ (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

Sandhi Notes

• वर्षाण्येतानि = वर्षाणि + एतानि
• क्षिप्रमानय = क्षिप्रम् + आनय

Context

Assess the (needs for) number of years the princess of Videha (Sita) is going to be in the forest, and fetch her quickly highly valuable garments and excellent ornaments.

The teaching

त्याग के पथ पर भी संरक्षण और मर्यादा का पालन धर्म है; साधन का उपयोग उद्देश्य-शुद्धि से बन्धन नहीं बनता।

Duties in tension

• वनवासी-धर्म: सरलता/अपरिग्रह
• राजपरिवार-धर्म: स्त्री-सुरक्षा और सम्मान हेतु साधन-प्रदान

Ethical theme

गृहस्थ-धर्म / राजधर्म

How it resolves

Pragmatic accommodation (provisioning within duty)

For your practice

अपरिग्रह-विवेक: आवश्यक और अनावश्यक का भेद; करुणा सहित कर्तव्य-पालन।

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Tender, urgent, foreboding

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Rajadharma
• Compassion
• Itihasa

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Sītā (Vaidehī)
• garments
• ornaments
• treasury

FAQs

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

Even when compelled by truth-bound commitments, a ruler must uphold compassion and responsibility toward dependents—ensuring protection and provision for Sītā in hardship.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha orders the treasury to provide Sītā with clothing and ornaments appropriate to the duration of forest exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Daśaratha’s protective concern as a king and elder, seeking to mitigate suffering through lawful provision.