Valmiki Ramayana 2.112.21: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 112, Shloka 21

पादुकाप्रदानम्

The Gift of the Sandals and Delegated Kingship

Spoken by Bharata to RamaSetting: Chitrakuta (near the Mandakini)Transfer of symbolic sovereignty from Rama to Bharata for Ayodhya governance

Devanagari script

आधिरोहाऽर्य पादाभ्यां पादुके हेमभूषिते ।

एतेहि सर्वलोकस्य योगक्षेमं विधास्यतः ॥२१॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.112.21

Transliteration

ādhirohārya pādābhyāṃ pāduke hemabhūṣite |

ete hi sarvalokasya yogakṣemaṃ vidhāsyataḥ ||21||

Translation

ข้าแต่มหาบุรุษผู้ประเสริฐ โปรดวางพระบาททั้งสองบนปาทุกาทองคำนี้เถิด เพราะสิ่งนี้จักอำนวยโยคเกษม คือความผาสุกและความปลอดภัย แก่ชนทั้งปวง

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Word by Word

• ādhirōha: mount/step onto
• Type: Verb
• Root: adhi-√ruh (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• ārya: O noble one
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)

• pādābhyām: with (your) two feet
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), द्विवचन
• Role: Karana (करण)

• pāduke: the two sandals
• Type: Noun
• Root: pādukā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन; object of ādhirōha
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• hema-bhūṣite: adorned with gold
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hema (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūṣita (प्रातिपदिक; from √bhūṣ)
• Form: समासः तत्पुरुषः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष: हेमेन भूषिते); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; pāduke-विशेषण
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• ete: these two
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; refers to pāduke
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• hi: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle: indeed/for)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)

• sarva-lokasya: of the whole world
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः तत्पुरुषः (सर्वस्य लोकस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• yoga-kṣemam: welfare and security
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoga (प्रातिपदिक) + kṣema (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः द्वन्द्वः (योगश्च क्षेमश्च; conventional pair meaning welfare & security); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Dvandva

• vidhāsyataḥ: will secure/arrange
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√dhā (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन; परस्मैपद; subject: ete (pāduke)
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

Sandhi Notes

• ādhirōhārya: आधिरोह + आर्य (vocative)
• ete hi: एते + हि
• sarvalokasya: सर्व + लोकस्य
• yogakṣemaṃ: योग + क्षेमम्

Context

O noble one, place your feet on these sandals decorated with gold. They will secure the prosperity and safety of the entire world.

The teaching

Legitimate power is stewardship for yoga-kṣema; authority can be exercised without possessiveness when grounded in dharma.

Duties in tension

• Bharata’s duty to rule for public welfare vs refusal to usurp Rama’s rightful kingship
• Rama’s exile vow vs need for stable governance

Ethical theme

Rāja-dharma / trusteeship

How it resolves

Symbolic delegation (pādukā as proxy sovereignty)

Devotion and practice

Pāda-sevā bhāva: using a tangible symbol to sustain remembrance and surrender; supports daily dhyāna on humility and service.

Deity praised

Rama (through pāda-sevā)

Form of praise

Vandana (pāda-vandana implied)

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shanta (peace), with Vira (heroism)

Mood

Reverent, trusteeship, hopeful

Themes

• Dharma
• Maryada
• Itihasa
• Ethics
• Satya
• Rajadharma
• Seva

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Rama
• Pādukā (sandals)
• Gold (hema)

FAQs

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

Bharata affirms that rightful authority rests with Rama; governance is dharmic only when aligned with the legitimate king, aimed at the people’s yogakṣema (welfare and security).

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata urges Rama to sanctify the royal sandals by stepping on them, so they may serve as the symbolic seat of Rama’s rule while Rama remains in exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bharata’s humility and loyalty—he seeks no personal power and frames kingship as service to the world under Rama’s legitimacy.