Valmiki Ramayana 2.1.11 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 1, Shloka 11

गुणप्रशंसा–युवराजनिर्णयः

Praise of Rama’s Virtues and the Decision on the Heir-Apparent

Devanagari script

कथञ्चिदुपकारेण कृतेनैकेन तुष्यति।न स्मरत्यपकाराणां शतमप्यात्मवत्तया।।।।

Transliteration

kathañcid upakāreṇa kṛtena ekena tuṣyati | na smaraty apakārāṇāṃ śatam api ātmavattayā ||

Translation

اپنے ضبطِ نفس کے سبب وہ کسی ایک احسان سے بھی، چاہے جیسے بھی کیا گیا ہو، خوش ہو جاتا؛ اور دوسروں کی کی ہوئی سو برائیاں بھی یاد نہ رکھتا۔

Word by Word

• कथञ्चित्: somehow
• कथञ्चित्: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथञ्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• उपकारेण: by a service/favor
• उपकारेण: करण/हेतु
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• कृतेन: done
• कृतेन: विशेषण (to उपकारेण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √कृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle)

• एकेन: by a single
• एकेन: विशेषण (to उपकारेण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• तुष्यति: is pleased
• तुष्यति: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तुष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध/निषेध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• स्मरति: remembers
• स्मरति: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अपकाराणाम्: of wrongs/offences
• अपकाराणाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive; object remembered)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: कर्म (Object; quantified)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; संख्या (numeral)

• अपि: even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/concessive)

• आत्मवत्तया: due to self-restraint
• आत्मवत्तया: हेतु (Hetu/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मवत्-ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; भाववाचक-तद्धित (abstract noun)

Context

Gifted with self-restraint, Rama was pleased even with a single benefit done somehow to him, yet did not remember even a hundred offences committed by others.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma

FAQs

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

Dharma of gratitude and forgiveness: value even small kindnesses, and do not nourish resentment by repeatedly recalling injuries.

What is the narrative situation?

A continued portrait of Rāma’s conduct—how he responds to benefit and harm from others.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Ātmavattā (self-mastery) expressed as gratitude and a forgiving memory.