Valmiki Ramayana 2.12.31: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 31

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

Ayodhya Kanda 12

Devanagari script

तस्मिन्नार्जवसम्पन्ने देवि देवोपमे कथम्।पापमाशंससे रामे महर्षिसमतेजसि।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.12.31

Transliteration

tasminn ārjavasampanne devi devopame katham |

pāpam āśaṃsase rāme maharṣisamatejasi ||

Translation

హే దేవీ! ఆర్జవసంపన్నుడై, దేవతుల్యుడై, మహర్షిసమ తేజస్సుతో ప్రకాశించే శ్రీరామునకు నీవు ఎలా పాపమును—అనిష్టమును—కోరగలవు?

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Word by Word

• tasmin: in that (person)
• tasmin: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (pronoun), Puṃliṅga (m.), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/अधिकरण), Ekavacana (sg.)

• ārjava-sampanne: endowed with uprightness
• ārjava-sampanne: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ārjava (प्रातिपदिक) + sampanna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative), Ekavacana (sg.); tatpuruṣa: 'ārjavena sampannaḥ' = endowed with uprightness

• devi: O देवी
• devi: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Sambodhana vibhakti (Vocative/सम्बोधन), Ekavacana (sg.)

• deva-upame: godlike
• deva-upame: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + upama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative), Ekavacana (sg.); tatpuruṣa: 'devaiḥ upamaḥ' = like the gods

• katham: how
• katham: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Praśna-avyaya (interrogative adverb/प्रश्न)

• pāpam: evil, harm
• pāpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga (n.), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/कर्म), Ekavacana (sg.)

• āśaṃsase: you wish/desire
• āśaṃsase: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + √śaṃs (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ lakāra (Present/वर्तमान), Madhyama puruṣa (2nd person), Ekavacana (sg.), Ātmanepada

• rāme: in/against Rama
• rāme: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/अधिकरण), Ekavacana (sg.)

• maharṣi-sama-tejasi: (in him) equal in radiance to great seers
• maharṣi-sama-tejasi: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: maharṣi (प्रातिपदिक) + sama (प्रातिपदिक) + tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative), Ekavacana (sg.); tatpuruṣa chain: 'maharṣibhiḥ samaṃ tejaḥ yasya' (elliptic) used as 'equal in splendor to great seers'

Context

How do you, O Devi, wish to harm Rama who is endowed with uprightness, who resembles the gods and in lustre to great ascetics?

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Kaikeyī
• Devas (gods)
• Maharṣis (great sages)

FAQs

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

To harm the righteous is itself adharma; the verse frames moral outrage at wishing “pāpa” toward one who embodies uprightness.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha challenges Kaikeyī’s intention, contrasting her harsh demand with Rāma’s saintly and divine-like qualities.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s ārjava (straightforward integrity) and tapas-like radiance, aligning him with sages and gods.