Valmiki Ramayana 2.17.21 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 17, Shloka 21

रामस्य राजमार्गगमनम्

Rama’s Progress along the Royal Highway

Devanagari script

स सर्वा स्समतिक्रम्य कक्ष्या दशरथात्मजः।सन्निवर्त्य जनं सर्वं शुद्धान्तः पुरमभ्यगात्।।।।

Transliteration

sa sarvāḥ samatikramya kakṣyā daśarathātmajaḥ |

sannivartya janaṃ sarvaṃ śuddhāntaḥ puram abhyagāt ||

Translation

ครั้นข้ามเขตคุ้มวังทั้งปวงแล้ว พระรามโอรสท้าวทศรถทรงให้บริวารทั้งสิ้นกลับไป แล้วเสด็จเข้าสู่ “ศุทธานต์” คือเขตในอันสงบและเป็นส่วนพระองค์

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण (adjective); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; कक्ष्याः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• समतिक्रम्य: having crossed
• समतिक्रम्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+अति+क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal); ‘having crossed/overstepped’

• कक्ष्याः: enclosures/inner courts
• कक्ष्याः: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कक्ष्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• दशरथात्मजः: son of Daśaratha
• दशरथात्मजः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; apposition to सः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशरथ + आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive tatpuruṣa): दशरथस्य आत्मजः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सन्निवर्त्य: having sent back
• सन्निवर्त्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+नि+वृत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); causative sense in context ‘having made (them) turn back/sent back’

• जनम्: people/followers
• जनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; with जनम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; जनम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• शुद्धान्तः: inner palace/private apartments
• शुद्धान्तः: अधिकरण/देश (Adhikaraṇa/Locative sense as goal-context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्धान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘inner apartments’ (as destination-context; often with पुरम्)

• पुरम्: to the palace
• पुरम्: कर्म (Karma/Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; गत्यर्थकक्रियायां द्वितीया (accusative of goal)

• अभ्यगात्: went/reached
• अभ्यगात्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि+गम् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Context

Crossing the courtyards on his way Rama sent back his followers and entered theprivate apartment of the king.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Daśaratha

FAQs

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

Maryādā (propriety): Rāma observes palace protocol by dismissing the crowd and entering the private quarters with restraint and respect.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma proceeds through the palace toward his father and, before entering the inner chambers, sends his followers away.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-control and decorum—Rāma’s disciplined conduct in a sensitive royal space.