Valmiki Ramayana 2.36.25 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 36, Shloka 25

अयोध्याकाण्डे षट्त्रिंशः सर्गः

Daśaratha’s orders for Rama’s escort; Kaikeyi’s fear; the Asamañjasa precedent

Devanagari script

स फालपिटकं गृह्य गिरिदुर्गाण्यलोडयत्।दिश स्सर्वास्त्वनुचरन् स यथा पापकर्मकृत्।।।।

Transliteration

sa phāla-piṭakaṃ gṛhya giri-durgāṇy alōḍayat | diśaḥ sarvās tv anucaran sa yathā pāpa-karma-kṛt ||2.36.25||

Translation

เขาหยิบพลั่วและตะกร้า แล้วเที่ยวเร่ร่อนไปทุกทิศ ขุดค้นแม้ในที่มั่นตามภูผา—ประหนึ่งผู้ถูกตราหน้าว่าเป็นคนทำกรรมชั่ว

Word by Word

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

• फालपिटकम्: spade and basket
• फालपिटकम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फाल-पिटक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (फालं च पिटकं च)

• गृह्य: having taken
• गृह्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Pūrvakāla-kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-प्राय (absolutive/gerund; Vedic/epic variant of गृहीत्वा), "having taken"

• गिरिदुर्गाणि: mountain-forts/rocky fastnesses
• गिरिदुर्गाणि: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि-दुर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (गिरय एव दुर्गाणि)

• अलोडयत्: roamed/dug about (disturbed)
• अलोडयत्: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-लुड्/लोड् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दिशः: directions
• दिशः: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• तु: and/but
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle)

• अनुचरन्: wandering
• अनुचरन्: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-चर् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

• यथा: like
• यथा: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपमा/तुलनार्थक; "as/like")

• पापकर्मकृत्: an evil-doer
• पापकर्मकृत्: उपमान (Upamāna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप-कर्म-कृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पापं कर्म कृतवान्)

Context

Like an evil-doer wandering about in different directions, holding a spade and a basket in his hand, he went about digging the impenetrable mountains.

Characters & Entities

• Asamañja

FAQs

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

Adharma leads to social and personal downfall: the evildoer becomes a wanderer, laboring in hardship—an implied moral causality linking conduct (karma) to consequence.

What is the narrative situation?

After exile, Asamañja is depicted as roaming widely, carrying tools and digging in difficult terrain, illustrating the lived reality of banishment.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast, the verse underscores the virtue of right conduct: a life aligned with dharma avoids the degradation and instability associated with evil deeds.