Shloka 1

दशमः सर्गः — Rama’s Vow to Protect the Sages of Daṇḍaka

Dharma of Refuge

Devanagari script

वाक्यमेतत्तु वैदेह्या व्याहृतं भर्तृभक्तया।श्रुत्वा धर्मे स्थितो रामः प्रत्युवाचाथ मैथिलीम्।।।।

Transliteration

vākyam etat tu vaidehyā vyāhṛtaṃ bhartṛbhaktayā | śrutvā dharme sthito rāmaḥ pratyuvācātha maithilīm ||

Translation

ครั้นทรงสดับถ้อยคำนี้ซึ่งพระไวเทหีตรัสด้วยภักดีต่อพระสวามี พระรามผู้ตั้งมั่นในธรรมจึงตรัสตอบพระไมถิลี

Word by Word

• vākyam: speech/statement
• vākyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā/Dvitīyā (1/2 विभक्ति), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā/Dvitīyā (1/2 विभक्ति), Ekavacana (एकवचन); viśeṣaṇa of vākyam

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha/Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (निपात), adversative/emphatic particle

• vaidehyā: by Vaidehī (Sītā)
• vaidehyā: Kartṛ (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaidehī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā (3 विभक्ति), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• vyāhṛtam: spoken/uttered
• vyāhṛtam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-ā-√hṛ (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: Kta-participle (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त), Napumsaka, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; karmaṇi prayoga sense ‘uttered/spoken’

• bhartṛbhaktayā: out of devotion to (her) husband
• bhartṛbhaktayā: Karaṇa/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ + bhakti (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘bhartṛ-bhakti’ = husband-devotion; Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3), Ekavacana; hetu/instrumental nuance

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वान्त), pūrvakāla-kriyā ‘having heard’

• dharme: in righteousness/duty
• dharme: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Saptamī (7 विभक्ति), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• sthitaḥ: steadfast/standing
• sthitaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: Kta-participle (क्त), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1), Ekavacana; predicate to rāmaḥ

• rāmaḥ: Rāma
• rāmaḥ: Kartṛ (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1), Ekavacana

• pratyuvāca: replied
• pratyuvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-ud-√vac (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (लङ्) past, Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana

• atha: then/thereafter
• atha: Sambandha/Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, discourse connector/adverb

• maithilīm: to Maithilī (Sītā)
• maithilīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maithilī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (2), Ekavacana

Context

Having heard these words spoken by Sita who was devoted to her husband, replied Rama who was firm in righteousness.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā (Vaidehī, Maithilī)
• Rāma
• Dharma

FAQs

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

Dharma is framed as steadiness and right judgment: Rāma listens and responds as one anchored in righteousness, while Sītā’s speech is rooted in loyal, principled devotion.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā has spoken from a position of devotion and concern; the narrative marks Rāma’s dharmic readiness to answer her.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s dharma-niṣṭhā (firm commitment to righteousness) and Sītā’s bhartṛ-bhakti (devoted fidelity).