Valmiki Ramayana 2.32.38: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 32, Shloka 38

द्वात्रिंशस्सर्गः · Gifts to Suyajna and the Brahmins; Trijata’s Petition and Rama’s Charity

Setting: सरयू-तट (दण्ड-गमन द्वारा परतट)Places named: सरयू, गोव्रजसरयू-परतट-पर्यन्त सीमा-निर्धारण

Devanagari script

स तीर्त्वा सरयूपारं दण्डस्तस्य कराच्च्युतः ॥३८॥

गोव्रजे बहुसाहस्रे पपातोक्षणसन्निधौ ।

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.32.38

Transliteration

sa tīrtvā sarayū-pāraṁ daṇḍas tasya karāc cyutaḥ ||38||

go-vraje bahu-sāhasre papāta ukṣaṇa-sannidhau |

Translation

ไม้เท้าที่หลุดจากมือเขานั้นข้ามฝั่งแม่น้ำสรยูไปถึงอีกฟาก แล้วตกลงในคอกโคอันมีนับพัน ใกล้โคพ่อพันธุ์ตัวหนึ่ง

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Word by Word

• tam: him
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• pariṣvajya: having embraced
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√svaj (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), 'having embraced'
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)

• dharmātmā: the righteous one
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; बहुव्रीहि: 'whose self is dharma' = righteous one
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Bahuvrihi

• ā: up to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, Preverb/adverb indicating limit 'up to'
• Role: Deśa-paryanta (देशपर्यन्त)

• tasmāt: from that
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Masculine/Neuter, Ablative (पञ्चमी/5), Singular
• Role: Apādāna (अपादान)

• sarayūtaṭāt: from the bank of Sarayū
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarayū + taṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular; समास: sarayū + taṭa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'bank of Sarayū')
• Role: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• ānayāmāsa: brought
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√nī (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, Perfect), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Singular; causative-like stem in usage 'brought'
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• tāḥ: those (cows)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Feminine, Accusative, Plural
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• gopaiḥ: by the herdsmen
• Type: Noun
• Root: gopa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural
• Role: Sahakārī-karaṇa (सहकारीकरण)

• trijaṭāyāḥ: of Trijaṭā
• Type: Noun
• Root: trijaṭā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular
• Role: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)

• āśramam: hermitage
• Type: Noun
• Root: āśrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• prati: towards
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prati (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, Preposition-like indeclinable meaning 'towards'
• Role: Gati (गति)

Sandhi Notes

• ātasmātsarayūtaṭāt = ā + tasmāt + sarayūtaṭāt
• gopaistrijaṭāyāḥ = gopaiḥ + trijaṭāyāḥ (ḥ + t -> st)

Context

The staff he hurled crossed the bank of the river Sarayu and fell near a bull in the midst of a thousands cows.

The teaching

Ethical theme

सत्य/दान-फल

For your practice

विस्मय-भाव से कृतज्ञता; अनुग्रह-बोध।

Mood and themes

Rasa

Adbhuta (wonder)

Mood

अचिन्त्य, विस्मय, दूरगमन

Themes

• Dharma
• Abundance through charity
• Sacred geography
• Itihasa

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Sarayū
• cows

FAQs

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

Dharma expressed as dāna yields tangible abundance; the narrative uses scale (crossing Sarayū, thousands of cows) to highlight the magnitude of righteous giving.

What is the narrative situation?

The thrown staff lands far away—across the Sarayū—indicating a vast measure for the promised gift.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s largesse is implied by the enormous range that becomes the basis of the donation.