Valmiki Ramayana 2.11.29: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 11, Shloka 29

कैकेयीवरप्रार्थना · Kaikeyi Demands the Two Boons

Devanagari script

स राजराजः भव सत्यसङ्गरः कुलं च शीलं च हि रक्ष जन्म च ।

परत्रवासे हि वदन्त्यनुत्तमं तपोधनास्सत्यवचो हितं नृणाम् ॥२९॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.11.29

Transliteration

sa rājarājaḥ bhava satyasaṅgaraḥ kulaṃ ca śīlaṃ ca hi rakṣa janma ca |

paratravāse hi vadantyanuttamaṃ tapodhanāssatyavaco hitaṃ nṛṇām ||29||

Translation

ขอพระองค์ทรงเป็นราชาเหนือราชาทั้งปวง มั่นคงในสัจจะ จงพิทักษ์วงศ์ตระกูล ความประพฤติอันงาม และชาติกำเนิดอันสูงส่ง เพราะเหล่าฤๅษีผู้มั่งคั่งด้วยตบะกล่าวว่า เพื่อประโยชน์ของมนุษย์ ไม่มีสิ่งใดเลิศยิ่งกว่าความสัตย์จริง ซึ่งนำความผาสุกไปสู่โลกหน้า

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Word by Word

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (ततः = 'thereafter')

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (श्रु धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), indeclinable; prior action

• mahārājaḥ: the great king
• mahārājaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय; 'great king'); Masculine, Nominative (1), Singular

• kaikeyyāḥ: of Kaikeyi
• kaikeyyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaikeyī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6), Singular

• dāruṇam: harsh/dreadful
• dāruṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dāruṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2), Singular; agrees with vacaḥ

• vacaḥ: words/speech
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2), Singular

• cintām: anxiety/grief
• cintām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cintā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2), Singular

• abhisamāpede: attained/was seized by
• abhisamāpede: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-sam-√pad (पद् धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (लिट्/perfect), 3rd person, Singular, Ātmanepada

• muhūrtam: for a moment
• muhūrtam: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muhūrta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2), Singular; duration-accusative

• pratatāpa: was distressed/burned
• pratatāpa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√tap (तप् धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (लङ्/imperfect), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

Context

O king of kings, by being true to your vow, protect your race, character and lineage. Those sages whose ascetism is their wealth maintain that there is no merit superior to truthfulness which can confer man a place in the other world.ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē ayōdhyākāṇḍē ēkādaśassargaḥ৷৷Thus ends the eleventh sarga of Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha
• Sages (tapodhanāḥ)

FAQs

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

Satya is presented as the supreme dharmic merit: truthfulness and fidelity to vows are said to have unsurpassed value, including consequences for one’s state in the afterlife.

What is the narrative situation?

After stating her demand, Kaikeyī pressures Daśaratha by invoking the dharmic authority of sages: truth-keeping is portrayed as the king’s highest duty.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The virtue emphasized is satyasaṅgara—unyielding commitment to truth and vows—framed as the defining quality of an ideal sovereign.