Valmiki Ramayana 2.37.24 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 37, Shloka 24

अयोध्याकाण्डे सर्गः ३७ — चीरधारणं, सीतासंकल्पः, वसिष्ठोपदेशः

Bark-Robe Episode and Vasistha’s Admonition

Devanagari script

आत्मा हि दारास्सर्वेषां दारसङ्ग्रहवर्तिनाम्।आत्मेयमिति रामस्य पालयिष्यति मेदिनीम्।।2.37.24।।

Transliteration

ātmā hi dārāssarveṣāṃ dārasaṅgrahavartinām | ātmeyamiti rāmasya pālayiṣyati medinīm ||

Translation

สำหรับผู้ดำรงธรรมแห่งคฤหัสถ์ทั้งปวง ภรรยาย่อมเป็นดุจอาตมันของตนเอง นางนี้เป็นดั่งตัวตนของพระราม จักทรงอภิบาลและครองแผ่นดินนี้

Word by Word

• ātmā: the self; soul
• ātmā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative, 1st), Ekavacana (Singular)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta/particle (emphasis/indeed)

• dārāḥ: wives
• dārāḥ: Karta-sāmānādhikaraṇa (कर्ता-समानाधिकरण/Apposition with ātmā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine; plural-only usage), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative, 1st), Bahuvacana (Plural)

• sarveṣām: of all
• sarveṣām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive, 6th), Bahuvacana (Plural)

• dāra-saṅgraha-vartinām: of those who keep/guard their wives
• dāra-saṅgraha-vartinām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation to sarveṣām)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāra (प्रातिपदिक) + saṅgraha (प्रातिपदिक) + vartin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive, 6th), Bahuvacana (Plural); samāsa: dāra-saṅgrahaḥ (wives’ protection/keeping) + vartin (one who abides in/engaged in)

• ātmā: (as) the very self
• ātmā: Pratijñā/Predicate-noun (विधेय/Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative, 1st), Ekavacana (Singular)

• iyam: this (woman)
• iyam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative, 1st), Ekavacana (Singular)

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-bodhaka (वाक्यार्थ/Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (iti-nipāta)

• rāmasya: of Rama
• rāmasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive, 6th), Ekavacana (Singular)

• pālayiṣyati: will rule/protect
• pālayiṣyati: Kriyā (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pāl (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ-lakāra (Periphrastic future), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana (Singular), Parasmaipada; meaning: will protect/rule

• medinīm: the earth
• medinīm: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: medinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative, 2nd), Ekavacana (Singular)

Context

For every householder, his wife is the soul. Since Sita is the soul of Rama, she can rule this earth.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Sita
• Earth

FAQs

Why does Vasistha suggest Sita should rule the earth?

Vasistha argues that in the Grihastha Ashrama, the wife is the very soul (Atma) of the husband. Therefore, in Rama's absence, Sita, being his soul, has the authority to rule.

What is the significance of the term 'Darasangrahavartinam'?

It refers to those who abide in the state of having a wife, i.e., householders. The verse highlights the spiritual unity of the couple in this stage of life.