Valmiki Ramayana 2.49.2: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 49, Shloka 2

एकोनपञ्चाशः सर्गः (Sarga 49): Rāma’s Night Journey Beyond Kosala and the Charioteer Address

Setting: vishayānta (frontier of the realm)Places named: Kosala (implied)Approaching and entering the border region after night travel

Devanagari script

तथैव गच्छतस्तस्य व्यपायाद्रजनी शिवा ।

उपास्य शिवां सन्ध्यां विषयान्तं व्यगाहत ॥२॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.49.2

Transliteration

tathaiva gacchatas tasya vyapāyād rajanī śivā |

upāsya śivāṁ sandhyāṁ viṣayāntaṁ vyagāhata ||2||

Translation

அவ்வாறே பயணம் தொடர்ந்தபோது அந்த நல்விரவு முடிந்தது. நற்பிராதःஸந்த்யையை வழிபட்டு அவர் நாட்டின் எல்லைப் பகுதியுள் நுழைந்தான்.

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Word by Word

• तथा: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (thus)
• Role: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)

• एव: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (just/indeed)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• गच्छतः: of (him) going
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle) ‘गच्छत्’; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; तस्य इत्यनेन समानाधिकरण (of him who was going)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• तस्य: of him
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• व्यपायात्: passed away/ended
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-अप-इ (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; अर्थः ‘अगच्छत्/अत्यगात्’ = ended/passed away
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• रजनी: night
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• शिवा: auspicious
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; रजनी इत्यस्य विशेषण
• Role: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)

• उपास्य: having worshipped
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): having worshipped/attended
• Role: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)

• शिवाम्: auspicious
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सन्ध्याम् इत्यस्य विशेषण
• Role: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषण)

• सन्ध्याम्: twilight (sandhya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्ध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• विषय-अन्तम्: the frontier of the country
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषय (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विषयस्य अन्तः)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• व्यगाहत: entered/reached
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-गाह् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

Sandhi Notes

• तथैव = तथा + एव
• व्यपायाद्रजनी = व्यपायात् + रजनी (त् + र → द्र)
• शिवां सन्ध्यां = शिवाम् + सन्ध्याम् (अनुस्वार/नासिक्य)
• विषयान्तम् = विषय + अन्तम्।

Context

While Rama was thus travelling, the auspicious night ended. With the sandhya (morning twilight), worship over, he reached the frontiers of the country.

The teaching

Ritual discipline and remembrance of the sacred should not lapse even when life turns uncertain.

Ethical theme

Ācāra-dharma (daily conduct)

How it resolves

Nitya-karma maintained during upheaval

Devotion and practice

Affirms saṃdhyopāsanā as stabilizing practice during transitions and stress.

Deity praised

Sandhyā/Gāyatrī (implicit)

Form of praise

Vandana (implicit sandhyā-upāsanā)

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shanta (peace), with Karuna (compassion)

Mood

Austere, ritual-pure, resolute

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Maryada
• Itihasa
• Ritual Duty
• Journey

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• sandhyā (twilight worship)

FAQs

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

Dharma is shown as disciplined daily duty: even during hardship and travel, Rama maintains religious observance (sandhyā-upāsanā), modeling steadiness in righteous conduct.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama continues his journey; night ends; at dawn he performs sandhyā worship and then reaches the frontier of the country.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-discipline and fidelity to sacred routine—Rama’s unwavering adherence to duty despite changing circumstances.