Valmiki Ramayana 2.3.41: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 3, Shloka 41

यौवराज्याभिषेक-उपकल्पनम्

Preparations for Rama’s Installation as Yuvaraja

Spoken by King Daśaratha to RamaSetting: Ayodhyā palace (private counsel within assembly context)Places named: Ayodhyā

Devanagari script

कामतस्त्वं प्रकृत्यैव विनीतो गुणवानसि ॥४१॥

गुणवत्यपि तु स्नेहात्पुत्र वक्ष्यामि ते हितम् ।

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.3.41

Transliteration

kāmatas tvaṁ prakṛtyaiva vinīto guṇavān asi ||41||

guṇavaty api tu snehāt putra vakṣyāmi te hitam |

Translation

تم تو اپنی فطرت ہی سے شائستہ اور صاحبِ فضیلت ہو؛ پھر بھی، اے بیٹے، محبت کے باعث میں تمہیں وہ بات کہوں گا جو تمہارے لیے مفید ہے۔

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• कामतः: indeed, as you wish
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कामतः (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्या/स्वीकारार्थ-अव्यय (adverb: ‘as you wish/indeed/admittedly’)
• Role: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)

• त्वम्: you
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)

• प्रकृत्या: by nature
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया, एकवचन; करणम्
• Role: करण (Instrument/Means/करण)

• एव: itself, indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय
• Role: अवधारण (Emphasis/अवधारण)

• विनीतः: well-disciplined, humble
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-नी (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्तः, पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषणम् (of 'tvam')
• Role: कर्तृविशेषण (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)

• गुणवान्: virtuous
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुणवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषणम्
• Role: कर्तृविशेषण (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)

• असि: are
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन
• Role: क्रिया (Copula/क्रिया)

• गुणवति: (in you) being virtuous
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुणवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमीभावः (locative absolute sense: ‘even though (you are) virtuous’)
• Role: अधिकरण (Locative circumstance/अधिकरण)

• अपि: even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपवाद-अव्यय (concessive particle: ‘even’)
• Role: सम्बन्ध (Concession marker/सम्बन्ध)

• तु: but
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषण-अव्यय (adversative particle: ‘but/however’)
• Role: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)

• स्नेहात्: out of affection
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेतुः (ablative of cause)
• Role: हेतु (Cause/हेतु)

• पुत्र: O son
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन
• Role: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)

• वक्ष्यामि: I shall tell
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future/लृट्), परस्मैपदम्, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन
• Role: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)

• ते: to you
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-रूपम्
• Role: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)

• हितम्: what is beneficial
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म
• Role: कर्म (Object/कर्म)

Sandhi Notes

• कामतस्त्वम् = कामतः + त्वम्
• प्रकृत्यैव = प्रकृत्या + एव
• गुणवानसि = गुणवान् + असि
• गुणवत्यपि = गुणवति + अपि
• स्नेहात्पुत्र = स्नेहात् + पुत्र

Context

Admittedly gentle by nature, you are gifted with virtues. O son, even though virtuous, I shall offer you counsel for your good out of affection for you.

The teaching

Affection does not merely praise; it instructs. Even the virtuous should welcome corrective counsel as a safeguard for future responsibility.

Ethical theme

Nīti / character ethics

For your practice

Practice of receiving feedback without defensiveness; cultivate vinaya as a spiritual discipline.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shanta (peace), with Karuna (compassion)

Mood

Affectionate, didactic, protective

Themes

• Dharma
• Ethics
• Maryada
• Rajadharma

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Rāma

FAQs

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

Even the virtuous should accept guidance with humility; affectionate counsel is part of sustaining dharma, especially for one preparing for responsibility.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha, preparing Rāma for royal duties, begins a sequence of counsel—praising his nature yet still advising him for his welfare.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s innate vinaya (courtesy/discipline) and the king’s parental, dharmic concern expressed through loving instruction.