Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 9

सत्यपाशः

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

Devanagari script

धर्मस्यैहाभिकामार्थं मम चैवाभिचोदनात्।प्रव्राजय सुतं रामं त्रिःखलु त्वां ब्रवीम्यहम्।।।।

Transliteration

dharmasyaihābhikāmārthaṃ mama caivābhicodanāt | pravrājaya sutaṃ rāmaṃ triḥ khalu tvāṃ bravīmy aham ||

Translation

为此事之法（dharma）利益，并因我之催请，请放逐你的儿子罗摩入林受流放；我确实对你说了三遍。

Word by Word

• धर्मस्य: of dharma
• धर्मस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• इह: here/in this matter
• इह: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Context)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place/context)

• अभिकामार्थम्: for the desired purpose
• अभिकामार्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिकाम (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: अभिकामस्य अर्थः/अभिकामार्थः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थक (purpose)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• अभिचोदनात्: from (my) urging
• अभिचोदनात्: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभि + चुद् (धातु) + ल्युट्/घञ् (प्रातिपदिक: चोदना)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (चोदना), पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ (cause)

• प्रव्राजय: send into exile
• प्रव्राजय: Kriya (क्रिया/Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + व्रज् (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative)

• सुतम्: son
• सुतम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• रामम्: Rama
• रामम्: Karma (कर्म/Object—apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सुतम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषण-रूपेण नाम

• त्रिः: thrice
• त्रिः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रिः (अव्यय)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-अव्यय (adverb of frequency)

• खलु: indeed
• खलु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/assuring particle)

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object—addressee)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ब्रवीमि: I say/tell
• ब्रवीमि: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

You must uphold righteousness. I also urge you to do that. Send your son Rama to the forest. I am repeating this statememt thrice.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha
• Rāma
• Dharma

FAQs

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

Kaikeyī claims dharma as justification for enforcing the king’s promise; the verse highlights a central Ramayana tension—between formal truth-to-a-boon and the broader moral good that dharma should serve.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī explicitly states her demand: Rama must be exiled, and she emphasizes it by repeating it three times to compel compliance.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Daśaratha’s expected adherence to satya (keeping his pledged word), even as the demand itself foreshadows ethical and emotional catastrophe.