Valmiki Ramayana 2.20.29 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 20, Shloka 29

अयोध्याकाण्डे विंशः सर्गः

Rama Enters Kauśalyā’s Antaḥpura; Ritual Preparations and the Shock of Exile

Devanagari script

चतुर्दश हि वर्षाणि वत्स्यामि विजने वने।मधुमूलफलैर्जीवन्हित्वा मुनिवदामिषम्।।।।

Transliteration

caturdaśa hi varṣāṇi vatsyāmi vijane vane | madhumūlaphalair jīvan hitvā munivad āmiṣam ||

Translation

میں چودہ برس سنسان جنگل میں رہوں گا، شہد، جڑوں اور پھلوں پر گزارا کروں گا، اور گوشت ترک کر دوں گا—بالکل ایک منی کی مانند۔

Word by Word

• caturdaśa: fourteen
• caturdaśa: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturdaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral adjective (संख्याविशेषण), indeclinable-like usage; qualifying varṣāṇi

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha/Avyaya (अव्यय-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis/indeed

• varṣāṇi: years
• varṣāṇi: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); duration of time (कालाधिकरणार्थे द्वितीया)

• vatsyāmi: I shall dwell
• vatsyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vas (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ (लुट्, periphrastic future), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• vijane: in a solitary (place)
• vijane: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vijana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; qualifying vane

• vane: in the forest
• vane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• madhumūlaphalaiḥ: with honey, roots, and fruits
• madhumūlaphalaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhu + mūla + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; itaretara-dvandva (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व) ‘honey, roots, and fruits’

• jīvan: living (subsisting)
• jīvan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jīv (धातु)
• Form: Śatṛ-pratyaya present active participle (शतृ), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; concurrent action ‘while living’

• hitvā: having given up
• hitvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √hā (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), ‘having abandoned/renounced’

• munivat: like a sage
• munivat: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: muni + vat (प्रातिपदिक/तद्धित)
• Form: Avyaya formed with taddhita -vat (वत्) meaning ‘like’; adverbial comparison

• āmiṣam: meat/flesh-food
• āmiṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āmiṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; object of hitvā

Context

Abstaining from eating meat like hermits and living on honey, fruits and roots, I am to live in the solitary forest for fourteen years.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• forest (vana)

FAQs

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

Self-restraint in service of dharma: Rama accepts hardship and adopts disciplined living, showing that righteous duty may require voluntary austerity.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama specifies the duration and manner of his exile—fourteen years with ascetic diet and conduct.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Tapas (austerity) and niyama (disciplined restraint).