Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 56

सत्यपाशः

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

Devanagari script

क्षिप्रमाज्ञाप्यतां राजन्राघवस्याभिषेचनम्।यथा ह्यपालाः पशवो यथा सेना ह्यनायका।।।।यथा चन्द्रं विना रात्रिर्यथा गावो विना वृषम्।एवं हि भविता राष्ट्रं यत्र राजा न दृश्यते।।।।

Transliteration

kṣipram ājñāpyatāṃ rājan rāghavasyābhiṣecanam | yathā hy apālāḥ paśavo yathā senā hy anāyakā ||

Translation

大王啊，请速下令为罗伽婆行灌顶加冕；否则如同无牧之畜、无帅之军，必致纷乱失序。

Word by Word

• kṣipram: quickly
• kṣipram: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṣipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• ājñāpyatām: let (it) be ordered
• ājñāpyatām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ājñāpaya (धातु: √jñā + ā- + ṇic)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (लोट्, imperative), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), passive/impersonal sense (कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग): "let it be ordered"

• rājan: O king
• rājan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• rāghavasya: of Rāghava (Rama)
• rāghavasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• abhiṣecanam: coronation
• abhiṣecanam: Karma (कर्म) / Vākyārtha (object of ordering)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhiṣecana (प्रातिपदिक; from √sic with abhi-)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• yathā: just as
• yathā: Upamāna-dyotaka (उपमान- द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, comparative particle (उपमानवाचक अव्यय)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle (निपात), emphasis/indeed (निश्चयार्थ)

• apālāḥ: without a keeper
• apālāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-pāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); negative prefix a-; used as adjective (विशेषण)

• paśavaḥ: cattle/animals
• paśavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (in implied comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paśu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• yathā: just as
• yathā: Upamāna-dyotaka (उपमान- द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, comparative particle (उपमानवाचक)

• senā: army
• senā: Karta (कर्ता) (in implied comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: senā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle (निपात), emphasis

• anāyakā: without a commander
• anāyakā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-nāyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); adjective to senā; negative prefix a-

Context

O king Rama's installation may be promptly ordered. As herds without herdsman, army without commander, night without the Moon, and cows without a bull, so is a kingdom without a king.

Characters & Entities

• Sumantra
• Daśaratha
• Rāghava (Rāma)
• abhiṣeka (coronation)

FAQs

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

Rulership is protective dharma: a kingdom requires a visible, guiding authority; delay in establishing leadership harms social order.

What is the narrative situation?

Sumantra presses Daśaratha to issue the order for Rāma’s coronation immediately, using analogies of leaderless groups.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Practical wisdom in counsel: Sumantra ties ritual action (abhiṣeka) to governance and public welfare.