Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 109, Shloka 14

सत्यधर्मप्रतिपादनम्

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

Devanagari script

दत्तमिष्टं हुतं चैव तप्तानि च तपांसि च।वेदा स्सत्यप्रतिष्ठाना स्तस्मात्सत्यपरो भवेत्।।2.109.14।।

Transliteration

dattam iṣṭaṃ hutaṃ caiva taptāni ca tapāṃsi ca | vedāḥ satyapratiṣṭhānās tasmāt satyaparo bhavet ||

Translation

Ang mga handog, mga yajña, mga oblation sa apoy, mga pag-aayuno at mga tapas—at maging ang mga Veda—ay nakatindig sa saligan ng katotohanan. Kaya nararapat na maging tapat at nakatuon sa katotohanan.

Word by Word

• दत्तम्: a gift/charity given
• दत्तम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dā (दा धातु) > datta (कृदन्त/क्त, PPP)
• Form: क्त (PPP used substantively), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; दानरूपं कर्म (gift/charity)

• इष्टम्: sacrifice (performed)
• इष्टम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yaj (यज् धातु) > iṣṭa (कृदन्त/क्त, PPP)
• Form: क्त (PPP used substantively), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; यज्ञादि (sacrifice performed)

• हुतम्: oblation offered
• हुतम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hu (हु धातु) > huta (कृदन्त/क्त, PPP)
• Form: क्त (PPP used substantively), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; होमकर्म (oblation offered)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

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

• तप्तानि: mortifications undergone
• तप्तानि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tap (तप् धातु) > tapta (कृदन्त/क्त, PPP)
• Form: क्त (PPP used substantively), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तप्तानि (austerities undergone)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तपांसि: austerities/penances
• तपांसि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• वेदाः: the Vedas
• वेदाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सत्यप्रतिष्ठानाः: founded on truth
• सत्यप्रतिष्ठानाः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: satya-pratiṣṭhāna (प्रातिपदिक; components: satya + pratiṣṭhāna)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: 'truth-founded'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण qualifying वेदाः

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ (therefore/from that)

• सत्यपरः: devoted to truth
• सत्यपरः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: satya-para (प्रातिपदिक; components: satya + para)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (one devoted to truth); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; predicate adjective (of implied 'he/one')

• भवेत्: should become/should be
• भवेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; विधि/आदेश (should be)

Context

Charity, sacrifice, libations, mortifications, asceticism and the Vedas have truth astheir foundation. Therefore, every one should be an adherent of truth.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Jābāli
• Vedas

FAQs

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

Truth is presented as the enabling foundation of all religious merit; without satya, ritual, charity, and scripture lose their grounding.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma appeals to the authority of dharmic practices and the Vedas to show that truth is not optional but structurally central.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reverence for dharma grounded in sincerity: adherence to truth as the support of all sacred action.