Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 109, Shloka 19

सत्यधर्मप्रतिपादनम्

Rama’s Defense of Truth and Dharma in Reply to Jabali

Devanagari script

प्रत्यगात्ममिमं धर्मं सत्यं पश्याम्यहं स्वयम्।भार स्सत्पुरुषाचीर्णस्तदर्थमभिमन्यते।।2.109.19।।

Transliteration

pratyag-ātmam imaṁ dharmaṁ satyaṁ paśyāmy ahaṁ svayam |

bhāraḥ satpuruṣācīrṇas tad-artham abhimanyate ||2.109.19||

Translation

ข้าพเจ้าเห็นด้วยตนเองว่า ธรรมะนี้—สัจจะ—เป็นดุจอาตมันภายในของตน เป็นสิ่งที่สัตบุรุษปฏิบัติสืบมา; เพราะเหตุนั้น แม้ภาระแห่งการเนรเทศนี้ก็มีความหมายแก่ข้าพเจ้า

Word by Word

• प्रत्यगात्मम्: as the inner Self
• प्रत्यगात्मम्: Karma (कर्म/Object complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pratyag-ātman (प्रातिपदिक; components: pratyag + ātman)
• Form: कर्मधारय (descriptive: 'inner-self as'); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; qualifies धर्मम्

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma (कर्म/Object determiner)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (इदम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण qualifying धर्मम्

• धर्मम्: dharma; duty
• धर्मम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सत्यम्: truth (as)
• सत्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण qualifying धर्मम् ('truthful/consisting in truth')

• पश्यामि: I see/consider
• पश्यामि: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (दृश् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद्)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वयम्: personally
• स्वयम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (reflexive adverb)

• भारः: burden
• भारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सत्पुरुषाचीर्णः: practised by the virtuous
• सत्पुरुषाचीर्णः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sat-puruṣa-ācīrṇa (प्रातिपदिक; components: sat + puruṣa + ācīrṇa)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (by the good people practiced); ācīrṇa = √car (चर्) + क्त (PPP); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; qualifies भारः

• तदर्थम्: therefore/for that reason
• तदर्थम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad-artha (प्रातिपदिक; components: tad + artha)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव (adverbial: 'for that purpose/therefore')

• अभिमन्यते: is considered/regarded
• अभिमन्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-man (मन् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; here 'is regarded/considered'

Context

Althoug what you have said appears to be salutary, it is actually unwholesome. It appears to be beneficial but is really detrimental.

Characters & Entities

• Satya (truth)
• Dharma

FAQs

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

Truth is not merely a rule but an inner principle: dharma rooted in satya becomes self-validating and spiritually elevating.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma reframes exile not as loss but as an opportunity to embody the highest dharma—truthfulness—like the virtuous do.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Ātma-niṣṭhā in satya (inner steadfastness in truth) and joyful acceptance of hardship for dharma.