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Valmiki Ramayana 2.105.20: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 105, Shloka 20

भरतस्य प्रार्थना—रामस्य कालधर्मोपदेशः

Bharata’s Petition and Rama’s Instruction on Time and Mortality

अहोरात्राणि गच्छन्ति सर्वेषां प्राणिनामिह।अायूंषि क्षपयन्त्याशु ग्रीष्मे जलमिवांशवः।।2.105.20।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.105.20

ahorātrāṇi gacchanti sarveṣāṃ prāṇinām iha | āyūṃṣi kṣapayanty āśu grīṣme jalam ivāṃśavaḥ ||2.105.20||

ఇక్కడ సమస్త ప్రాణులకూ పగలు-రాత్రులు గడుస్తూ, ఆయుష్షును త్వరగా క్షయింపజేస్తాయి—గ్రీష్మంలో సూర్యకిరణాలు నీటిని ఎండబెట్టినట్లే।

ahaḥ-rātrāṇidays and nights
ahaḥ-rātrāṇi:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootahaḥ + rātri (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व (अहश्च रात्रिश्च)
gacchantipass/go
gacchanti:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√gam (गम्) (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद
sarveṣāmof all
sarveṣām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootsarva (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (contextual), षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; 'of all'
prāṇināmof living beings
prāṇinām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootprāṇin (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
ihahere/in this world
iha:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiha (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb: here/in this world)
āyūṃṣilifespans
āyūṃṣi:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootāyus (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन
kṣapayantiwear away/diminish
kṣapayanti:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√kṣi (क्षि) (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative sense: 'cause to waste away')
āśuquickly
āśu:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootāśu (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: quickly)
grīṣmein summer
grīṣme:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootgrīṣma (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन
jalamwater
jalam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootjala (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
ivalike
iva:
Sambandha (उपमान-सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiva (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; उपमा-वाचक
aṃśavaḥrays (of the sun)
aṃśavaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootaṃśu (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

The passing days and nights quickly decrease the life span of all living beings in this world, like sunrays drying up the water in summer.

FAQs

It calls for purposeful living: since life is steadily consumed by time, dharma is to prioritize truth, duty, and self-mastery over wasteful grief.

A reflective teaching on time’s erosive power is offered to reframe sorrow within the inevitability of mortality.

Kāla-jñāna (awareness of time): using limited life for righteous ends.

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