Valmiki Ramayana 2.2.36 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 2, Shloka 36

यौवराज्य-प्रस्तावः

Proposal for Rāma’s Installation as Heir-Apparent

Devanagari script

द्विजैरभिविनीतश्च श्रेष्ठैर्धर्मार्थनैपुणैः।यदा व्रजति सङ्ग्रामं ग्रामार्थे नगरस्य वा।।2.2.36।।गत्वा सौमित्रिसहितो नाऽविजित्य निवर्तते।

Transliteration

dvijair abhivinītaś ca śreṣṭhair dharmārthanaipuṇaiḥ |

yadā vrajati saṅgrāmaṁ grāmārthe nagarasya vā || 2.2.36 ||

gatvā saumitrisahito nāvijitya nivartate |

Translation

Được các bậc Bà-la-môn ưu tú, tinh thông Dharma và trị quốc, dạy dỗ nghiêm cẩn; mỗi khi Ngài ra trận vì một thôn ấp hay một thành trì, Ngài cùng Saumitrī tiến quân và không trở về khi chưa chiến thắng.

Word by Word

• dvijaiḥ: by brahmins
• dvijaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• abhivinītaḥ: well-trained/instructed
• abhivinītaḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhi-√nī (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• śreṣṭhaiḥ: by the best
• śreṣṭhaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• dharma-artha-naipuṇaiḥ: by those skilled in dharma and artha
• dharma-artha-naipuṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + naipuṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (Dvandva; धर्मे च अर्थे च नैपुण्यम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• yadā: when
• yadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (temporal conjunction)

• vrajati: goes/proceeds
• vrajati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vraj (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• saṅgrāmam: to battle
• saṅgrāmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṅgrāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• grāma-arthe: for the sake of a village
• grāma-arthe: Prayojana-adhikaraṇa (प्रयोजन-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: grāma (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpuruṣa; ग्रामस्य अर्थः), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• nagarasya: of a town
• nagarasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nagara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• gatvā: having gone
• gatvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• saumitri-sahitaḥ: accompanied by Saumitri (Lakṣmaṇa)
• saumitri-sahitaḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saumitri (प्रातिपदिक) + sahita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpuruṣa; सौमित्रिणा सहितः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• avijitya: without conquering
• avijitya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: a- + vi-√ji (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) with नञ् (negated): 'without conquering'

• nivartate: returns
• nivartate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√vṛt (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

Context

Whenever he, well-instructed in all matters by the best of brahmins well-versed in dharma and artha proceeds along with Lakshmana to wage a war for the sake of a village or a town, he never returns without conquering the enemy.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa (Saumitrī)
• brāhmaṇas

FAQs

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

Protection of people is dharma in action: learning from wise teachers must culminate in safeguarding villages and cities through courageous, effective defense.

What is the narrative situation?

The speaker highlights Rāma’s proven record in warfare undertaken for public security, emphasizing both training and results.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reliability in duty—he undertakes protective battle and returns only after fulfilling the objective (victory).