Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 19, Shloka 23

एकोनविंशः सर्गः (Sarga 19): Rāma’s Unshaken Acceptance of Exile and Kaikeyī’s Urgency

Devanagari script

अनुक्तोऽप्यत्रभवता भवत्या वचनादहम्।वने वत्स्यामि विजने वर्षाणीह चतुर्दश।।2.19.23।।

Transliteration

anukto 'py atra bhavatā bhavatyā vacanād aham | vane vatsyāmi vijane varṣāṇīha caturdaśa ||2.19.23||

Translation

పూజ్య తండ్రి స్వయంగా చెప్పకపోయినా, మీ వచనానుసారం నేను ఇప్పుడు పద్నాలుగు సంవత్సరాలు నిర్జన వనంలో నివసిస్తాను।

Word by Word

• anuktaḥ: not instructed
• anuktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an-ukta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √vac)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; past passive participle with negation: 'not told' (referring to aham)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (अपि = even)

• atra: here; in this matter
• atra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देश/प्रसङ्ग)

• bhavatā: by you (hon.)
• bhavatā: Kartṛkaraṇa (कर्तृकरण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; honorific

• bhavatyā: by you (lady)
• bhavatyā: Kartṛkaraṇa (कर्तृकरण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; honorific 'by you' (addressing Kaikeyi)

• vacanāt: because of (your) word
• vacanāt: Hetu (हेतु/पञ्चमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• vane: in the forest
• vane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• vatsyāmi: I shall live
• vatsyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vas (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ (Periphrastic future/लुट्) or Lṛṭ (Simple future/लृट्) usage; Parasmaipada, 1st Person (उत्तम-पुरुष), Singular; standard reading as Lṛṭ future

• vijane: in a solitary (place)
• vijane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-jana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; qualifying vane

• varṣāṇi: years
• varṣāṇi: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; duration

• iha: here; now
• iha: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देश/काल)

• caturdaśa: fourteen
• caturdaśa: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturdaśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral used adjectivally; indeclinable-like in form; qualifying varṣāṇi

Context

Though this has not been said by my respectable father himself, I shall live in the forlorn forest for fourteen years in accordance with your word.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha (as 'bhavat')
• forest (vana)
• fourteen years

FAQs

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

Rāma treats the royal promise as binding and chooses compliance to preserve truth and moral order.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī has stated the terms of exile; Rāma accepts them as authoritative even before Daśaratha can speak.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prompt acceptance of duty and restraint from dispute.