Shloka 24

त्रयस्त्रिंशः सर्गः

Civic Lament and Rama’s Dutiful Approach to Daśaratha

Devanagari script

तृणमांस फलादानां देशं व्यालमृगद्विजम्।।।।प्रपद्यतां हि कैकेयी सपुत्रा सह बान्धवैः।राघवेण वने सर्वे वयं वत्स्याम निर्वृताः।।।।

Transliteration

tṛṇa-māṃsa-phalādānāṃ deśaṃ vyāla-mṛga-dvijam |

prapadyatāṃ hi kaikeyī sa-putrā saha bāndhavaiḥ |

rāghaveṇa vane sarve vayaṃ vatsyāma nirvṛtāḥ ||

Translation

کیكئی اپنے بیٹے اور اپنے رشتہ داروں سمیت اُس دیس کو اختیار کرے جو سانپوں، درندوں اور پرندوں سے بھرا ہے—جو گھاس، گوشت اور پھل کھانے والے ہیں۔ اور ہم سب رाघو کے فرزند رाघو (رام) کے ساتھ جنگل میں اطمینان سے رہیں گے۔

Word by Word

• तृण-मांस-फल-आदानाम्: of grass-, flesh-, and fruit-eaters
• तृण-मांस-फल-आदानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृण/मांस/फल (प्रातिपदिक) + आद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; 'आद' = eater; genitive plural qualifying deśam

• देशम्: region/country
• देशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• व्याल-मृग-द्विजम्: full of reptiles, beasts, and birds
• व्याल-मृग-द्विजम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्याल (प्रातिपदिक) + मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व used adjectivally: 'having reptiles/beasts/birds'

• प्रपद्यताम्: let her resort to/enter
• प्रपद्यताम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-पद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; (with subject kaikeyī)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), emphasis/causal nuance

• कैकेयी: Kaikeyi
• कैकेयी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैकेयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स-पुत्रा: together with (her) son
• स-पुत्रा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (कैकेयी); 'with her son'

• सह: with
• सह: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable)

• बान्धवैः: with (her) relatives
• बान्धवैः: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बान्धव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• राघवेण: with Rama
• राघवेण: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (वयम्)

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• वत्स्याम: will live
• वत्स्याम: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• निर्वृताः: content/at ease
• निर्वृताः: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्वृत (प्रातिपदिक) / निर्-वृ (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त/विशेषण; predicate adjective of वयम्

Context

Let Kaikeyi take possession of our deserted and dilapidated homes with ruined courtyards which seem as though struck by calamities. They are drained of wealth and foodgrains, covered with dust and abandoned by the gods. There is no water or smoke (from kitchen). They are infested with rats. They stand unswept. There foodgrains lie around ratholes, and broken earthenwares lie scattered. There are no offerings, no sacrifices, no recitation of sacred hymns, no libations and no invocations.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Rāghava (Rāma)
• forest (vana)
• beasts (mṛga)
• birds (dvija)

FAQs

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

True welfare lies in dharma, not territory: the citizens reject unjust gain and choose hardship alongside the righteous.

What is the narrative situation?

Citizens declare that Kaikeyī may keep a realm fit for wild creatures, while they will live peacefully with Rāma in the forest.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Contentment through righteousness (nirvṛti): peace arises from aligning life with satya and dharma, even in exile.