Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 71, Shloka 22

जनककुलवर्णनम् तथा सीतोर्मिलादानम्

Janaka’s Genealogy and the Bestowal of Sita and Urmila

Devanagari script

ददामि परमप्रीतो वध्वौ ते रघुनन्दन।।।।रामलक्ष्मणयो राजन् गोदानं कारयस्व ह।पितृकार्यं च भद्रं ते ततो वैवाहिकं कुरु।।।।

Transliteration

dadāmi paramaprīto vadhvau te raghunandana |

rāmalakṣmaṇayo rājan godānaṁ kārayasva ha |

pitṛkāryaṁ ca bhadraṁ te tato vaivāhikaṁ kuru ||

Translation

Với niềm hoan hỷ tột bậc, hỡi Raghunandana, ta trao hai nàng dâu này cho ngươi—để kết duyên cùng Rāma và Lakṣmaṇa. Tâu Đại vương, hãy cử hành lễ hiến tặng bò, và cả nghi lễ đối với tổ tiên nữa—nguyện điều lành đến với ngươi. Rồi sau đó hãy tiến hành các nghi thức hôn lễ.

Word by Word

• dadāmi: I give
• dadāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ, Parasmaipada, 1st Person, Singular

• paramaprītaḥ: very pleased
• paramaprītaḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama + prīta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifying speaker

• vadhvau: two brides
• vadhvau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadhū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Dual

• te: to you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Dative, Singular

• raghunandana: O Raghunandana
• raghunandana: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raghu + nandana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular; 'delighter of Raghu-line'

• rāmalakṣmaṇayoḥ: of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa
• rāmalakṣmaṇayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma + lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Dual; dvandva 'of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa'

• rājan: O king
• rājan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• godānam: cow-gifting
• godānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go + dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; tatpuruṣa 'gift of cows'

• kārayasva: cause to be performed
• kārayasva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (Imperative), Ātmanepada, 2nd Person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular; causative sense 'have it done'

• ha: indeed
• ha: N/A
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) for emphasis/recall

• pitṛkāryam: rite for ancestors
• pitṛkāryam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ + kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; 'ancestral rite/duty'

• ca: and
• ca: N/A
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• bhadram: prosperity
• bhadram: Prayojana/Āśīḥ (आशीः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; benedictive

• te: to you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Dative, Singular

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: N/A
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) of sequence

• vaivāhikam: wedding ceremony
• vaivāhikam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaivāhika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; 'marriage-rite'

• kuru: perform
• kuru: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (Imperative), Parasmaipada, 2nd Person, Singular

Context

Suketu's son was the righteous and powerful Devarata, father of Brihadradha.

Characters & Entities

• Janaka
• Daśaratha
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• pitṛs (ancestors)

FAQs

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

Dharma as social-ritual responsibility: marriage is not merely personal but a sanctified duty, preceded by generosity (go-dāna) and honoring ancestors (pitṛ-kārya).

What is the narrative situation?

Janaka, pleased with the alliance, instructs Daśaratha to complete the customary rites—charitable gifts and ancestral obligations—before the formal wedding.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Janaka’s adherence to tradition and satya in alliances—he ensures the union is performed in a fully dharmic, socially recognized manner.