Valmiki Ramayana 2.112.22 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 112, Shloka 22

पादुकाप्रदानम्

The Gift of the Sandals and Delegated Kingship

Devanagari script

सोऽधिरुह्य नरव्याघ्रः पादुके ह्यवरुह्य च।प्रायच्छत्सुमहातेजा भरताय महात्मने।।2.112.22।।

Transliteration

so ’dhiruhya naravyāghraḥ pāduke hy avaruhya ca |

prāyacchat sumahātejā bharatāya mahātmane || 2.112.22 ||

Translation

تب نرشیرد رام، جو عظیم تیج سے درخشاں تھے، ان پادوکاؤں پر چڑھے اور پھر اتر آئے؛ اس کے بعد انہوں نے انہیں مہاتما بھرت کے سپرد کر دیا۔

Word by Word

• saḥ: he (Rama)
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• adhiruhya: having mounted/put on
• adhiruhya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: adhi-√ruh (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive), पूर्वकाल

• nara-vyāghraḥ: tiger among men
• nara-vyāghraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक) + vyāghra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः तत्पुरुषः (नराणां व्याघ्रः = among men, a tiger); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• pāduke: the two sandals
• pāduke: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pādukā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन

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

• avaruhya: having descended/removed
• avaruhya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-√ruh (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive), पूर्वकाल

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• prāyacchat: gave
• prāyacchat: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√yam (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• su-mahā-tejāḥ: of very great splendour
• su-mahā-tejāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय) + mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः कर्मधारयः (सुमहान् तेजः यस्य सः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; saḥ-विशेषण

• bharatāya: to Bharata
• bharatāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• mahātmane: to the great-souled one
• mahātmane: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः बहुव्रीहिः (महान् आत्मा यस्य सः); पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; bharata-विशेषण

Context

Rama, the best of men, one with great brilliance, put on and then put off the sandals and presented them to the magnanimous Bharata.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Bharata
• Pādukā (sandals)

FAQs

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

Authority is transferred not through ambition but through righteous delegation: Rama enables Bharata to administer the kingdom as a trustee, preserving legitimacy and truth.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama consents to Bharata’s request by stepping on the sandals and formally handing them over, creating a symbolic regency.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s adherence to satya and dharma—he supports Bharata’s dharmic plan without breaking his own exile vow.