Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 109, Shloka 15

सत्यधर्मप्रतिपादनम्

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

Devanagari script

एकः पालयते लोकमेकः पालयते कुलम्।मज्जत्येको हि निरय एक स्स्वर्गे महीयते।।2.109.15।।

Transliteration

ekaḥ pālayate lokam ekaḥ pālayate kulam | majjaty eko hi niraye ekaḥ svarge mahīyate ||

Translation

May isang tao na nag-iingat sa daigdig; may isa namang sa sariling angkan lamang. May isang lumulubog sa impiyerno, at may isang pinararangalan sa langit—ganyan ang bunga ng katotohanan at kasinungalingan.

Word by Word

• एकः: one (person)
• एकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; here 'one (person)'

• पालयते: protects
• पालयते: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pāl (पाल् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• लोकम्: the world
• लोकम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• एकः: one (person)
• एकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पालयते: protects
• पालयते: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pāl (पाल् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• कुलम्: family/lineage
• कुलम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मज्जति: sinks/plunges
• मज्जति: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: majj (मज्ज् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एकः: one (person)
• एकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: emphasis/causal)

• निरये: in hell
• निरये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• एकः: one (person)
• एकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वर्गे: in heaven
• स्वर्गे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महीयते: is honored/glorified
• महीयते: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: mah (मह् धातु) > mahīyate
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (passive sense: 'is honored')

Context

One protects the world. Another runs his family. One plunges into hell. Another is honoured in heaven. (These are the fruits of truth and untruth).

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Jābāli
• Niraya (hell)
• Svarga (heaven)

FAQs

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

Human choices create divergent moral destinies; truth elevates and is honored, while untruth degrades and leads to ruin.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma contrasts life-paths and consequences to show that ethical speech and fidelity to truth determine both social honor and spiritual outcome.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Accountability: recognizing that one’s integrity (or lack of it) shapes one’s fate and reputation.