Valmiki Ramayana 2.19.2 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 19, Shloka 2

एकोनविंशः सर्गः (Sarga 19): Rāma’s Unshaken Acceptance of Exile and Kaikeyī’s Urgency

Devanagari script

एवमस्तु गमिष्यामि वनं वस्तुमहं त्वितः। जटाजिनधरो राज्ञः प्रतिज्ञामनुपालयन्।।2.19.2।।

Transliteration

evam astu gamiṣyāmi vanaṃ vastum ahaṃ tv itaḥ | jaṭājinadharo rājñaḥ pratijñām anupālayan ||2.19.2||

Translation

“Gayon na nga. Mula rito’y tutungo ako sa gubat at doon maninirahan, may buhol-buhol na buhok at balat ng usa, upang tuparin ang pangako ng hari.”

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• अस्तु: let it be
• अस्तु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (imperative/benedictive sense), Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa, Eka-vacana

• गमिष्यामि: I shall go
• गमिष्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ-lakāra (लुट्/Periphrastic future) in sense of future, Parasmaipada, Uttama-puruṣa (1st person/उत्तमपुरुष), Eka-vacana

• वनम्: to the forest
• वनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Eka-vacana; goal (destination)

• वस्तुम्: to dwell
• वस्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vas (धातु)
• Form: Tumun infinitive (तुमुन्) expressing purpose

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Prathamā, Eka-vacana

• तु: indeed; however
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (emphasis/contrast)

• इतः: from here
• इतः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: itas (अव्यय)
• Form: Ablatival adverb (अपादानार्थक अव्यय)

• जटाजिनधरः: wearing matted hair and deer-skin
• जटाजिनधरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jaṭā + ajina + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound ‘wearing matted locks and deer-skin’; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana; adjective of अहम् (speaker)

• राज्ञः: of the king
• राज्ञः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Eka-vacana

• प्रतिज्ञाम्: promise
• प्रतिज्ञाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratijñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Eka-vacana; object of अनुपालयन्

• अनुपालयन्: fulfilling; observing
• अनुपालयन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-pāl (धातु)
• Form: Śatṛ present participle (शतृ), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana; ‘while observing/fulfilling’

Context

Be it so; I shall go from here to the forest and live there with matted hair and deer-skin to keep the promise of the king.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha (implied as 'the king')
• forest (vana)

FAQs

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

Keeping one’s pledged word (satya) and protecting the integrity of a ruler’s vow are presented as higher dharma than personal comfort.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma accepts exile to the forest to ensure that Daśaratha’s promise—exacted by Kaikeyī—is not broken.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s steadfast truthfulness and self-sacrificing obedience to dharma.