Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 58, Shloka 14

अष्टपञ्चाशः सर्गः (Sarga 58)

Daśaratha Questions Sumantra; Messages from the Forest Threshold

Devanagari script

अब्रवीन्मां महाराज धर्ममेवानुपालयन्।अञ्जलिं राघवः कृत्वा शिरसाऽभिप्रणम्य च।।।।

Transliteration

abravīn māṁ mahārāja dharmam evānupālayan |

añjaliṁ rāghavaḥ kṛtvā śirasā ’bhipraṇamya ca ||

Translation

سوت نے کہا: “اے مہاراج! راگھو—جو ہمیشہ دھرم کی پاسداری کرتے ہیں—ہاتھ جوڑ کر اور سر جھکا کر ادب سے مجھے یوں فرمانے لگے۔”

Word by Word

• abravīt: said
• abravīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), द्वितीया (Accusative, case 2), एकवचन (singular)

• mahā-rāja: O great king
• mahā-rāja: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + rāja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन (Vocative, case 8), एकवचन (singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine)

• dharmam: righteousness/duty
• dharmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative, case 2), एकवचन (singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine)

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय

• anupālayan: while observing/guarding
• anupālayan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-pāl (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative, case 1), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (active)

• añjalim: folded hands (añjali)
• añjalim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: añjali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative, case 2), एकवचन (singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine)

• rāghavaḥ: Rāghava (Rāma)
• rāghavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative, case 1), एकवचन (singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine)

• kṛtvā: having made/done
• kṛtvā: Purvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), अव्यय

• śirasā: with (his) head
• śirasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (Instrumental, case 3), एकवचन (singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter)

• abhipraṇamya: having bowed down/saluted
• abhipraṇamya: Purvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-pra-nam (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), अव्यय

• ca: and
• ca: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction), अव्यय

Context

'Convey on my behalf, O charioteer to my illustrious father who is known for his selfknowledge, and is worthy of homage, that I am saluting his feet with my head bowed.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta (charioteer)
• Daśaratha
• Rāma (Rāghava)
• Dharma

FAQs

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

Dharma is expressed as disciplined reverence and proper conduct: Rāma’s respectful bodily gestures (añjali, bowing) embody maryādā and righteousness in action.

What is the narrative situation?

The charioteer begins reporting what Rāma said and how he behaved respectfully before sending messages back to Ayodhyā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s humility and unwavering commitment to dharma are emphasized.