Valmiki Ramayana 2.3.41: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 3, Shloka 41

यौवराज्याभिषेक-उपकल्पनम्

Preparations for Rama’s Installation as Yuvaraja

Spoken by King Daśaratha to RamaSetting: Ayodhyā palace (private counsel within assembly context)Places named: Ayodhyā

Devanagari script

कामतस्त्वं प्रकृत्यैव विनीतो गुणवानसि ॥४१॥

गुणवत्यपि तु स्नेहात्पुत्र वक्ष्यामि ते हितम् ।

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.3.41

Transliteration

kāmatas tvaṁ prakṛtyaiva vinīto guṇavān asi ||41||

guṇavaty api tu snehāt putra vakṣyāmi te hitam |

Translation

నీవు స్వభావతః వినయశీలుడవు, గుణవంతుడవు; అయినను, కుమారా, స్నేహవశముగా నీ హితమును నేను చెప్పుదును।

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Word by Word

• कामतः: indeed, as you wish
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कामतः (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्या/स्वीकारार्थ-अव्यय (adverb: ‘as you wish/indeed/admittedly’)
• Role: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)

• त्वम्: you
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)

• प्रकृत्या: by nature
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया, एकवचन; करणम्
• Role: करण (Instrument/Means/करण)

• एव: itself, indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय
• Role: अवधारण (Emphasis/अवधारण)

• विनीतः: well-disciplined, humble
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-नी (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्तः, पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषणम् (of 'tvam')
• Role: कर्तृविशेषण (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)

• गुणवान्: virtuous
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुणवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषणम्
• Role: कर्तृविशेषण (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)

• असि: are
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन
• Role: क्रिया (Copula/क्रिया)

• गुणवति: (in you) being virtuous
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुणवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमीभावः (locative absolute sense: ‘even though (you are) virtuous’)
• Role: अधिकरण (Locative circumstance/अधिकरण)

• अपि: even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपवाद-अव्यय (concessive particle: ‘even’)
• Role: सम्बन्ध (Concession marker/सम्बन्ध)

• तु: but
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषण-अव्यय (adversative particle: ‘but/however’)
• Role: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)

• स्नेहात्: out of affection
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेतुः (ablative of cause)
• Role: हेतु (Cause/हेतु)

• पुत्र: O son
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन
• Role: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)

• वक्ष्यामि: I shall tell
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future/लृट्), परस्मैपदम्, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन
• Role: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)

• ते: to you
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-रूपम्
• Role: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)

• हितम्: what is beneficial
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म
• Role: कर्म (Object/कर्म)

Sandhi Notes

• कामतस्त्वम् = कामतः + त्वम्
• प्रकृत्यैव = प्रकृत्या + एव
• गुणवानसि = गुणवान् + असि
• गुणवत्यपि = गुणवति + अपि
• स्नेहात्पुत्र = स्नेहात् + पुत्र

Context

Admittedly gentle by nature, you are gifted with virtues. O son, even though virtuous, I shall offer you counsel for your good out of affection for you.

The teaching

Affection does not merely praise; it instructs. Even the virtuous should welcome corrective counsel as a safeguard for future responsibility.

Ethical theme

Nīti / character ethics

For your practice

Practice of receiving feedback without defensiveness; cultivate vinaya as a spiritual discipline.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shanta (peace), with Karuna (compassion)

Mood

Affectionate, didactic, protective

Themes

• Dharma
• Ethics
• Maryada
• Rajadharma

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Rāma

FAQs

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

Even the virtuous should accept guidance with humility; affectionate counsel is part of sustaining dharma, especially for one preparing for responsibility.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha, preparing Rāma for royal duties, begins a sequence of counsel—praising his nature yet still advising him for his welfare.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s innate vinaya (courtesy/discipline) and the king’s parental, dharmic concern expressed through loving instruction.