Valmiki Ramayana 2.14.14: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 14

सत्यपाशः

Kaikeyi’s Demand and the Noose of the King’s Promise

Devanagari script

यस्ते मन्त्रकृतः पाणिरग्नौ पापे मया धृतः।तं त्यजामि स्वजं चैव तव पुत्रं त्वया सह।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.14.14

Transliteration

yas te mantrakṛtaḥ pāṇir agnau pāpe mayā dhṛtaḥ | taṃ tyajāmi svajaṃ caiva tava putraṃ tvayā saha ||

Translation

اے بدکردار عورت! تیرا وہ ہاتھ جسے میں نے منتر گواہ بنا کر مقدس آگ کے سامنے تھاما تھا—میں اب اس بندھن کو توڑتا ہوں؛ اور تجھے اور اپنے سے پیدا ہوئے تیرے بیٹے کو بھی ترک کرتا ہوں۔

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Word by Word

• यः: which/that
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of relative clause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन; enclitic

• मन्त्रकृतः: done with mantras/ritually made
• मन्त्रकृतः: Karta (कर्ता—qualifying)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-तत्पुरुष: मन्त्रेण कृतः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies पाणिः)

• पाणिः: hand
• पाणिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अग्नौ: in the fire (before the sacred fire)
• अग्नौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• पापे: O sinful woman
• पापे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; स्त्री-सम्बोधन (address)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन

• धृतः: was held
• धृतः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate—nominal)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) used predicatively; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तम्: that
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• त्यजामि: I abandon/disown
• त्यजामि: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्वजम्: my own-born (son)
• स्वजम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (धातु/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष: स्वयम् जातः/स्वतः जातः; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय

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

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• पुत्रम्: son
• पुत्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• त्वया: with you
• त्वया: Sahakaraka (सहकारक/Accompaniment—instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakaraka (सहकारक/With)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक-अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable)

Context

O wicked woman, I held your hand amid chantings of mantras with the sacred fire (as witness). I now disown that hand, you and your son begotten by me.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī
• Agni (sacred fire)
• Bharata (implied as 'your son begotten by me')

FAQs

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

It underscores the sanctity of marriage vows (witnessed by Agni and mantras) while showing how adharma within relationships can drive even a king to speak in rupture and renunciation.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha, pushed beyond endurance, lashes out verbally at Kaikeyī, rejecting the marital bond and even disowning her son in anger and grief.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Not a virtue but a caution: the verse displays how intense sorrow can overwhelm restraint, illustrating the moral danger of speech born from despair.