Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 111, Shloka 29

अयोध्याकाण्डे एकादशोत्तरशततमः सर्गः

Sarga 111: Counsel on Gurus, Parental Debt, and Bharata’s Protest

Devanagari script

उपधिर्न मया कार्यो वनवासे जुगुप्सितः।युक्तमुक्तं च कैकेय्या पित्रा मे सुकृतं कृतम्।।।।

Transliteration

upadhir na mayā kāryo vanavāse jugupsitaḥ |yuktam uktaṃ ca kaikeyyā pitrā me sukṛtaṃ kṛtam ||

Translation

至于林居，我若设人代我而去，实为可耻，此事不可为。凯凯伊所言合乎其分，我父王所行亦为正当之举。

Word by Word

• उपधिः: substitution/ploy (placing a substitute)
• उपधिः: कर्म/विधेय (Topic/predicate subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• मया: by me
• मया: कर्ता (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कार्यः: to be done
• कार्यः: विधेय (Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृ-धातोः यत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative: 'to be done')

• वनवासे: in the matter of forest-dwelling
• वनवासे: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वनवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/locative), एकवचन

• जुगुप्सितः: reprehensible
• जुगुप्सितः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुप् (धातु) → जुगुप्सित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपधिः इति विशेषणम्

• युक्तम्: proper/right
• युक्तम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) → युक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; उक्तम् इति विशेषणम्

• उक्तम्: spoken (words)
• उक्तम्: कर्म (Object; 'what was said')
• Type: Noun
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP used substantively), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कैकेय्या: by Kaikeyi
• कैकेय्या: कर्ता-हेतु/करण (Agent/instrument: 'by Kaikeyi')
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैकेयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पित्रा: by (my) father
• पित्रा: कर्ता-हेतु/करण (Agent/instrument: 'by my father')
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (genitive), एकवचन; enclitic form

• सुकृतम्: a good deed
• सुकृतम्: कर्म (Object; 'a good deed')
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + कृत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-निष्पन्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: सु कृतम् (a good deed)

• कृतम्: done
• कृतम्: क्रिया (Predicate: 'done')
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) used predicatively; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भावे प्रयोगः (it has been done)

Context

As far as living in the forest is concerned it is reprehensible to keep a subsitute for me and it shall not be done. Kaikeyi has acted rightfully and my father has taken the proper decision.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha
• vana (forest)

FAQs

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

Maryādā (moral boundaries) in fulfilling vows: Rama refuses a workaround that would hollow out the father’s promise and the ethical meaning of exile.

What is the narrative situation?

Responding to Bharata’s willingness to take exile, Rama insists the original obligation must be borne by the one to whom it applies.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Uncompromising fidelity to dharma—Rama rejects convenient substitutions and accepts personal hardship.