Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 6

सत्यपाशः

Kaikeyi’s Demand and the Noose of the King’s Promise

Devanagari script

सरितां तु पतिस्स्वल्पां मर्यादां सत्यमन्वितः।सत्यानुरोधात्समये स्वां वेलां नातिवर्तते।।।।

Transliteration

saritāṃ tu patiḥ svalpāṃ maryādāṃ satyam anvitaḥ | satyānurodhāt samaye svāṃ velāṃ nātivartate ||

Translation

Ngay cả đại dương—chúa tể của các dòng sông—dẫu bờ cõi có vẻ hẹp, vẫn vì thuận theo chân lý mà đến kỳ hạn không vượt quá bờ mình.

Word by Word

• सरिताम्: of rivers
• सरिताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• पतिः: lord (ocean)
• पतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• स्वल्पाम्: small/limited
• स्वल्पाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object—qualifying)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• मर्यादाम्: boundary/limit
• मर्यादाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्यादा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सत्यम्: truth (as principle)
• सत्यम्: Hetu (हेतु/Reason—adverbial)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावेन (adverbial sense)

• अन्वितः: endowed with/following
• अन्वितः: Karta (कर्ता—qualifying)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वि (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन्; ‘युक्त/समन्वित’

• सत्यानुरोधात्: due to obedience to truth
• सत्यानुरोधात्: Hetu (हेतु/Ablative of cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुरोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): सत्यस्य अनुरोधः; पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• समये: at the proper time
• समये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location-time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• स्वाम्: his own
• स्वाम्: Karma (कर्म—qualifying)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण (pronominal adjective)

• वेलाम्: shore/limit
• वेलाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• अतिवर्तते: transgresses/goes beyond
• अतिवर्तते: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अति + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Context

The ocean, lord of rivers, even when (tidal) time comes does not cross the shore in obedience to truth.

Characters & Entities

• maryādā (boundary)
• satya (truth)

FAQs

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

Satya and maryādā: righteousness is expressed as self-restraint—keeping to one’s rightful limits even when conditions (time/tide) press toward excess.

What is the narrative situation?

A proverbial illustration is offered: the ocean serves as a model for keeping boundaries, reinforcing the Ramayana’s emphasis on truth and propriety.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The virtue is principled restraint (niyama): the moral ideal of not transgressing one’s proper limits.