Valmiki Ramayana 2.42.18: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 42, Shloka 18

द्विचत्वारिंशः सर्गः · दशरथस्य शोक-विलापः तथा कौशल्यागृह-प्रवेशः

Dasaratha’s Lament and Return to Kausalya’s Apartments

Devanagari script

द्रक्ष्यन्ति नूनं पुरुषा दीर्घबाहुं वनेचराः ।

राममुत्थाय गच्छन्तं लोकनाथमनाथवत् ॥१८॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.42.18

Transliteration

drakṣyanti nūnaṃ puruṣā dīrghabāhuṃ vanecarāḥ |

rāmam utthāya gacchantaṃ lokanātham anāthavat ||18||

Translation

แน่แท้ชาวป่าทั้งหลายจักได้เห็นพระรามผู้มีพาหายาว—ผู้เป็นนาถแห่งปวงชน—เมื่อทรงลุกขึ้นแล้วเสด็จดำเนินไป ประหนึ่งผู้ไร้ที่พึ่งพิง

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Word by Word

• द्रक्ष्यन्ति: will see
• द्रक्ष्यन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकारः (Simple Future), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• नूनम्: surely
• नूनम्: Sambandha/Modifier (विशेषण-भावे अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नूनम् (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (particle of certainty)

• पुरुषाः: men
• पुरुषाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), बहुवचनम्

• दीर्घबाहुम्: long-armed
• दीर्घबाहुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घ-बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम्; कर्मधारय-समासः (दीर्घः बाहुः यस्य/दीर्घबाहुः)

• वनेचराः: forest-dwellers
• वनेचराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन-चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (वने चरन्ति इति)

• रामम्: Rama
• रामम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• उत्थाय: having risen
• उत्थाय: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत्-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभावः (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having risen)

• गच्छन्तम्: going, walking
• गच्छन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्तः (present active participle), पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• लोकनाथम्: lord of the world
• लोकनाथम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक-नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (लोकस्य नाथः)

• अनाथवत्: like one without a protector
• अनाथवत्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनाथवत् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्-प्रयोग)
• Form: वत्-प्रत्ययान्त उपमानार्थक-अव्ययम् (similative: 'like/as')

Context

Surely the forest-rovers will be gazing upon the long-armed Rama, protector of the world, as he rises (from the ground) and wanders in the jungle unprotected.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Rāma
• Forest-dwellers (vanecarāḥ)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights the paradox of dharma: the rightful protector of the world accepts a condition of apparent helplessness to uphold truth and duty.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha imagines how strangers in the forest will witness Rāma—normally a ‘lokanātha’—moving about like an unprotected exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s humility and obedience to righteous obligation, even when it diminishes outward status.