Valmiki Ramayana 2.95.17: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 95, Shloka 17

मन्दाकिनीनदीदर्शनम्

The Vision of the Mandākinī at Citrakūṭa

Spoken by Rama to SitaSetting: Forest hermitage zone near Mandākinī/CitrakūṭaPlaces named: AyodhyāSettled exile routine (daily rites and simple diet)

Devanagari script

उपस्पृशंस्त्रिषवणं मधुमूलफलाशनः ।

नायोध्यायैन राज्याय स्पृहयेऽद्य त्वया सह ॥१७॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.95.17

Transliteration

upaspṛśaṃs triṣavaṇaṃ madhumūlaphalāśanaḥ |

nāyodhyāyai na rājyāya spṛhaye 'dya tvayā saha ||17||

Translation

เมื่อชำระกายด้วยการอาบน้ำในสามยามแห่งการสวดภาวนา และดำรงชีพด้วยน้ำผึ้ง รากไม้ และผลไม้—วันนี้เมื่อมีเธออยู่เคียงข้าง เรามิได้ใฝ่หาอโยธยา แม้กระทั่งราชสมบัติก็มิได้ปรารถนา.

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Word by Word

• उपस्पृशन्: bathing; performing ablutions
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप + स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle, शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति; ‘touching (water), performing ablution’
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Descriptive of speaker)

• त्रिषवणम्: at the three daily prayer-times
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + सवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (adverbial compound), नपुंसकलिङ्ग एकवचन द्वितीया (neuter accusative used adverbially); ‘त्रिषु सवनेषु/at the three prayer-times’
• Role: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverb)
• Compound: Avyayibhava

• मधुमूलफलाशनः: an eater of honey, roots, and fruits
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु + मूल + फल + आशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति; तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative): मधु-मूल-फलानि अश्नाति इति/one who eats honey, roots, and fruits
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)
• Role: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)

• अयोध्यायै: for Ayodhya
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयोध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative)
• Role: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Goal)

• न: nor
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)
• Role: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)

• राज्याय: for the kingdom
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), एकवचन (Singular), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative)
• Role: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Goal)

• स्पृहये: I long for
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद; ‘to long for’
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)

• अद्य: today; now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (adverb of time)
• Role: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण/Time)

• त्वया: with you
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, एकवचन, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental)
• Role: Sahakaraka (सहकारक/Accompaniment)

• सह: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अव्यय (postposition), सहार्थे (in the sense of accompaniment)
• Role: Sahakaraka (सहकारक/Accompaniment marker)

Sandhi Notes

• उपस्पृशंस्त्रिषवणं = उपस्पृशन् + त्रिषवणम्
• मधुमूलफलाशनः = मधु-मूल-फल-आशनः
• नायोध्यायै = न + अयोध्यायै
• स्पृहयेऽद्य = स्पृहये + अद्य

Context

Bathing thrice in your company at the time of prayers and partaking honey, roots and fruits, I do not yearn either for Ayodhya or for the kingdom.

The teaching

When discipline and companionship are present, the pull of power weakens; dharma and inner peace outweigh sovereignty.

Duties in tension

• Kṣatriya-artha (rule/kingdom) vs dharma (keeping vow, honoring father’s word)
• Worldly ambition vs ascetic discipline and marital companionship in exile

Ethical theme

Vairāgya and dharma-niṣṭhā

How it resolves

Renunciation grounded in contentment and right conduct

For your practice

Supports daily niyama (triṣavaṇa/sandhyā) and cultivation of vairāgya; encourages seeing sufficiency in simple living with dharmic companionship.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shanta (peace), with Shringara (love)

Mood

Content, renunciant, devoted

Themes

• Dharma
• Maryada
• Itihasa
• Ethics
• Vairagya (non-attachment)
• Tapas

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā
• Ayodhyā
• rājya (kingship)

FAQs

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

Dharma is non-attachment aligned with truth (satya): Rāma accepts exile faithfully and shows that integrity matters more than power.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma contrasts forest discipline (ritual bathing, simple food) with royal life, affirming that with Sītā he feels no craving for throne or city.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Renunciation and steadfastness—Rāma’s mind remains calm and duty-oriented rather than ambitious.