Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 109, Shloka 13

सत्यधर्मप्रतिपादनम्

Rama’s Defense of Truth and Dharma in Reply to Jabali

Devanagari script

सत्यमेवेश्वरो लोके सत्यं पद्माश्रिता सदा।सत्यमूलानि सर्वाणि सत्यान्नास्ति परं पदम्।।2.109.13।।

Transliteration

satyam eveśvaro loke satyaṃ padmāśritā sadā | satyamūlāni sarvāṇi satyān nāsti paraṃ padam ||

Translation

Sa daigdig na ito, ang katotohanan mismo ang Panginoon; at si Padmā (Lakṣmī) ay laging nananahan sa katotohanan. Lahat ng bagay ay may ugat sa katotohanan—wala nang higit na layon kaysa rito.

Word by Word

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• ईश्वरः: lord; God
• ईश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पद्मा: Padmā (Lakṣmī)
• पद्मा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: padmā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• आश्रिता: having taken refuge (in)
• आश्रिता: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-śri (धातु) > āśrita (कृदन्त/क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle)
• Form: क्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjectival) qualifying पद्मा

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• सत्यमूलानि: having truth as their root/foundation
• सत्यमूलानि: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: satya-mūla (प्रातिपदिक; components: satya + mūla)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive tatpuruṣa: 'truth as root'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण qualifying सर्वाणि

• सर्वाणि: all (things/beings)
• सर्वाणि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject: 'all (things)')
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सत्यात्: than truth; from truth
• सत्यात्: Apadana (अपादान/Source-Comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; तुलना/अपादानार्थ (ablative of comparison/source)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• परम्: higher/supreme
• परम्: Karma (कर्म/Object complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; here as विशेषण qualifying पदम्

• पदम्: state/abode/position
• पदम्: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; predicate with अस्ति (negated)

Context

Truth is God. The goddess of wealth always takes refuge in truth. Truth is the root of everything. It is supreme and there is nothing above it.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Jābāli
• Īśvara (Lord)
• Padmā (Lakṣmī)

FAQs

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

Satya is elevated from a social virtue to a metaphysical principle: truth is the supreme ground of prosperity and the highest human aim.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma intensifies his argument by portraying truth as divine and as the basis of fortune, countering any pragmatic justification for abandoning it.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Spiritual steadfastness: valuing truth above advantage, wealth, or convenience.