Valmiki Ramayana 2.12.26: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 26

द्वादशः सर्गः — Kaikeyi’s Boons and Dasaratha’s Moral Collapse

Ayodhya Kanda 12

Devanagari script

शुश्रूषां गौरवं चैव प्रमाणं वचनक्रियाम्।कस्ते भूयस्तरं कुर्यादन्यत्र मनुजर्षभात्।।।।बहूनां स्त्रीसहस्राणां बहूनां चोपजीविनाम्।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.12.26

Transliteration

śuśrūṣāṃ gauravaṃ caiva pramāṇaṃ vacanakriyām | kas te bhūyastaraṃ kuryād anyatra manujarṣabhāt || bahūnāṃ strīsahasrāṇāṃ bahūnāṃ copajīvinām |

Translation

హే నరశ్రేష్ఠా! మనుజవృషభుడైన రాముని తప్ప మరెవరు మీకు మరింత శుశ్రూష చేసి, మీకు గౌరవం చెల్లించి, మీ వాక్యాన్ని ప్రమాణంగా భావించి, మీ ఆజ్ఞలను కార్యరూపంలో పెట్టగలరు—వేలాది స్త్రీలు, అనేక పరిచారకులు మధ్య ఉన్నప్పటికీ?

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Word by Word

• śuśrūṣām: service, attendance
• śuśrūṣām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śuśrūṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/कर्म), Ekavacana (sg.)

• gauravam: respect, honor
• gauravam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaurava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga (n.), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/कर्म), Ekavacana (sg.)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (conjunction/समुच्चय)

• eva: indeed, just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avadhāraṇa-nipāta (particle of emphasis/अवधारण)

• pramāṇam: authority, trustworthiness
• pramāṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pramāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga (n.), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/कर्म), Ekavacana (sg.)

• vacana-kriyām: carrying out of (your) words/commands
• vacana-kriyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक) + kriyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/कर्म), Ekavacana (sg.); ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (genitive determinative): 'vacanasya kriyā'

• kaḥ: who
• kaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative/कर्ता), Ekavacana (sg.); interrogative pronoun

• te: to you
• te: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (pronoun), Caturthī vibhakti (Dative/सम्प्रदान), Ekavacana (sg.)

• bhūyastaram: more, greater
• bhūyastaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhūyas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Comparative degree (tarat), Napuṃsakaliṅga (n.), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative), Ekavacana (sg.); used adverbially with 'kuryāt'

• kuryāt: would do
• kuryāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (Optative/विधिलिङ्), Prathama puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana (sg.), Parasmaipada

• anyatra: except, other than
• anyatra: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Deśa/viśeṣa-avyaya (adverb/अव्यय): 'elsewhere/except'

• manuṣa-ṛṣabhāt: from the best of men (Rama)
• manuṣa-ṛṣabhāt: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manuṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + ṛṣabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Pañcamī vibhakti (Ablative/अपादान), Ekavacana (sg.); ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: 'manuṣyāṇām ṛṣabhaḥ' = best among men

• bahūnām: of many
• bahūnām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃ/Napuṃ (m./n.), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), Bahuvacana (pl.)

• strī-sahasrāṇām: of thousands of women
• strī-sahasrāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga (n.), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), Bahuvacana (pl.); tatpuruṣa: 'strīṇāṃ sahasrāṇi'

• bahūnām: of many
• bahūnām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃ/Napuṃ (m./n.), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), Bahuvacana (pl.)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (conjunction/समुच्चय)

• upajīvinām: of dependents/attendants
• upajīvinām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upajīvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), Bahuvacana (pl.)

Context

There are many thousands of women and attendants (in the inner apartment), but who will do greater service and honour you more than Rama, the best among men in the execution of your orders.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma

FAQs

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

Dharma values seva (service), respect, and faithful execution of rightful instructions—qualities that sustain ethical governance and family order.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha stresses that Rāma is uniquely devoted in service and obedience, questioning the rationale of sending such a son away.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s exemplary service, respectfulness, and reliability in carrying out duties (vācana-kriyā) are emphasized.