Valmiki Ramayana 2.12.46 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 46

द्वादशः सर्गः — Kaikeyi’s Boons and Dasaratha’s Moral Collapse

Ayodhya Kanda 12

Devanagari script

भवत्वधर्मो धर्मो वा सत्यं वा यदि वाऽनृतम्।यत्त्वया संश्रुतं मह्यं तस्य नास्ति व्यतिक्रमः।।।।

Transliteration

bhavatv adharmo dharmo vā satyaṃ vā yadi vā anṛtam |

yat tvayā saṃśrutaṃ mahyaṃ tasya nāsti vyatikramaḥ || 2.12.46 ||

Translation

Dù là đúng hay sai, dù là thật hay giả, lời hứa mà nhà vua đã trao cho thiếp thì không thể nào thay đổi được.

Word by Word

• bhavatu: let it be
• bhavatu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• adharmaḥ: unrighteousness
• adharmaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• dharmaḥ: righteousness
• dharmaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: 'or')

• satyam: truth
• satyam: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/condition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle: 'if')

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• anṛtam: falsehood
• anṛtam: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• yat: whatever (that)
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yat (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-यत् (relative pronoun: 'whatever/that which')

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: द्वितीयपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• saṃśrutam: promised
• saṃśrutam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-śru (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भाव (promised/heard as pledged)

• mahyam: to me
• mahyam: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (Dative/4th), एकवचन

• tasya: of that
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; 'of that'

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• asti: is
• asti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• vyatikramaḥ: deviation/transgression
• vyatikramaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyatikrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

Whether righteous or unrighteous, true or false, there is no deviation from what you have promised to me.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha

FAQs

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

It asserts the inviolability of a pledged word (satya-saṃśruti): once given, a promise binds action—though the verse also problematizes ethics by separating promise-keeping from moral evaluation.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī refuses any reconsideration and insists Daśaratha must fulfill the boon exactly as promised.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Promise-keeping (satya) is foregrounded—presented here as absolute, even when it conflicts with other moral goods.