Valmiki Ramayana 2.19.8: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 19, Shloka 8

एकोनविंशः सर्गः (Sarga 19): Rāma’s Unshaken Acceptance of Exile and Kaikeyī’s Urgency

Spoken by Rama to KausalyaSetting: Ayodhyā palace (Kaikeyī’s chambers context in this episode)Places named: Ayodhyā

Devanagari script

किं पुनर्मनुजेन्द्रेण स्वयं पित्रा प्रचोदितः ।

तव च प्रियकामार्थं प्रतिज्ञामनुपालयन् ॥८॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.19.8

Transliteration

kiṃ punar manujendreṇa svayaṃ pitrā pracoditaḥ |

tava ca priya-kāmārthaṃ pratijñām anupālayan ||8||

Translation

ยิ่งกว่านั้น เมื่อพระบิดาของข้าพเจ้าเอง—พระราชาผู้เป็นจอมแห่งมนุษย์—ทรงมีพระบัญชา และข้าพเจ้ากำลังรักษาปฏิญญาเพื่อให้สมดังความปรารถนาอันเป็นที่รักของท่าน

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Word by Word

• किम्: what/why
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative particle)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)

• पुनः: moreover; needless to say
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, पुनरुक्ति/अधिक्यसूचक (again; moreover)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)

• मनुजेन्द्रेण: by the king (lord of men)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुजेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः मनुज + इन्द्र (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘मनुजानाम् इन्द्रः’)
• Role: Karana (करण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• स्वयम्: personally; himself
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, आत्मनः/स्वतः (oneself; personally)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)

• पित्रा: by (his) father
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन
• Role: Karana (करण)

• प्रचोदितः: having been urged/commanded
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-चुद् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थः ‘having been urged/ordered’
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• तव: your
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)

• प्रियकामार्थम्: for (your) desired pleasure’s sake
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय + काम + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; समासः प्रियकामस्य अर्थः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)
• Role: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/हेतु)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• प्रतिज्ञाम्: promise
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• अनुपालयन्: keeping; observing
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-पाल् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त, शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

Sandhi Notes

• पुनर्मनुजेन्द्रेण → पुनः + मनुजेन्द्रेण
• प्रतिज्ञामनुपालयन् → प्रतिज्ञाम् + अनुपालयन्

Context

In order to keep the promise I shall do everything to fulfil your desire. Needless to say that my father has ordered this.

The teaching

When a promise is at stake, dharma is to uphold the pledged word—even against one’s own advantage.

Duties in tension

• Obedience to father-king vs personal interest in coronation
• Justice/merit vs fulfillment of pledged boons and another’s wish

Ethical theme

Satya-dharma / vrata-dharma

How it resolves

Satya-pratijñā-pālana prioritized

For your practice

Strengthens vrata-śakti (power to keep vows) and commitment to truth; applicable to daily sankalpa and ethical disciplines.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Vira (heroism), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Vow-bound, unyielding, dutiful

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Ethics
• Maryada

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Daśaratha
• Kauśalyā

FAQs

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

Satya as lived dharma: keeping a promise and honoring a rightful command are treated as non-negotiable moral duties.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma continues persuading his mother that his compliance is doubly justified—by royal command and by the obligation to uphold a pledged word.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fidelity to vows (pratijñā-pālana): Rāma’s identity is anchored in promise-keeping.