Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 33, Shloka 21

हनूमत्सीतासंवादः

Hanumān–Sītā Dialogue and Identity Verification

Devanagari script

यत्तदुक्तं त्वया वाक्यं प्रीत्या नृपतिसत्तम।।।।तच्छेन्न वितथं कार्यं वनं गच्छतु राघवः।

Transliteration

yat tad uktaṃ tvayā vākyaṃ prītyā nṛpatisattama |

tac cen na vitathaṃ kāryaṃ vanaṃ gacchatu rāghavaḥ ||

Translation

ข้าแต่มหาราชผู้ประเสริฐ หากพระวาจาที่พระองค์ตรัสด้วยความรักครั้งนั้นไม่พึงให้เป็นเท็จ ก็ขอให้พระราฆวะเสด็จไปสู่ป่าเถิด

Word by Word

• यत्: which
• यत्: सम्बन्ध (Relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-निर्देशक (relative)

• तत्: that
• तत्: सम्बन्ध (Correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तद्-सम्बन्ध (correlative)

• उक्तम्: spoken
• उक्तम्: कर्म (Karma, predicate of vākyaṃ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भावः 'spoken'

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: कर्ता (Karta/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वाक्यम्: word/promise
• वाक्यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रीत्या: out of affection
• प्रीत्या: हेतु (Hetu/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हेतौ/भावे (out of affection)

• नृपतिसत्तम: O best of kings
• नृपतिसत्तम: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपति-सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; समासः नृपतीनां सत्तमः

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'that (promise)'

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: सम्बन्ध (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• वितथम्: false
• वितथम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वितथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies kāryam)

• कार्यम्: to be made/kept (to be done)
• कार्यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object, predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय (what must be done)

• वनम्: to the forest
• वनम्: कर्म (Karma/Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गच्छतु: let (him) go
• गच्छतु: क्रिया (Injunctive action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/लोट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• राघवः: Rāghava
• राघवः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Context

'O Dasaratha, the foremost among kings! if the promise lovingly made by you earlier is not going to be false, Rama should go to the forest'.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyi
• Dasaratha
• Rama (Raghava)
• forest (vana)

FAQs

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

Satya (truth-keeping) is invoked as binding; however, the verse also shows how dharma-language can be used instrumentally to justify harmful demands.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī leverages Daśaratha’s earlier promise/boons to compel Rama’s exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Daśaratha’s satya-niṣṭhā (commitment to truth) is the targeted virtue—so strong that it can be exploited.