Valmiki Ramayana 2.115.20 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 115, Shloka 20

पादुकाभिषेकः

The Consecration of Rama’s Sandals and Bharata’s Trusteeship at Nandigrama

Devanagari script

राघवाय च सन्यासं दत्त्वेमे वरपादुके।राज्यं चेदमयोध्यां च धूतपापो भवामि च।।।।

Transliteration

rāghavāya ca sannyāsaṃ dattveme varapāduke | rājyaṃ cedam ayodhyāṃ ca dhūtapāpo bhavāmi ca ||

Translation

เมื่อข้าพเจ้าคืนสิ่งที่ฝากไว้แก่พระราฆวะ—พระบาทุกาอันประเสริฐคู่นี้ ทั้งราชอาณาจักรและกรุงอโยธยานี้—แล้วข้าพเจ้าจักเป็นผู้ชำระบาปให้สิ้น

Word by Word

• rāghavāya: to Rāghava (Rama)
• rāghavāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (चतुर्थी) Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक)

• saṃnyāsam: the trust/charge (deposit)
• saṃnyāsam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃnyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया) Singular

• dattvā: having given
• dattvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु) (कृदन्त: क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त) “having given”

• ime: these
• ime: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally; Feminine, Nominative (प्रथमा) Dual (द्विवचन)

• vara-pāduke: the excellent/sacred sandals
• vara-pāduke: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक) + pādukā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) compound; Feminine, Nominative Dual

• rājyam: the kingdom
• rājyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally; Feminine, Accusative (द्वितीया) Singular (agreeing with ayodhyām)

• ayodhyām: Ayodhyā
• ayodhyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ayodhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• dhūta-pāpaḥ: cleansed of sin
• dhūta-pāpaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhūta (कृदन्त, √dhū धातु, क्त) + pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa; Masculine, Nominative Singular; adjective to implied aham

• bhavāmi: I become / I shall be
• bhavāmi: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्) Present; 1st person Singular; Parasmaipada

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Concluding particle

Context

Restoring the sacred sandals, the kingdom and this city of Ayodhya held as a trust by me, I shall be cleansed of the sin.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Rama (Rāghava)
• pādukā (sandals)
• Ayodhyā
• kingdom

FAQs

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

Moral purification through rightful restitution: Bharata sees innocence not in claiming power but in returning it intact to its rightful holder.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata declares that only after handing back the sandals, the kingdom, and Ayodhyā to Rama will he feel absolved of any taint connected with the succession crisis.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Conscientiousness: he is sensitive to moral blame and seeks cleansing through correct action, not through excuses.