Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 45, Shloka 15

अयोध्यावासिजनानुरागः

The People and Brahmins Follow Rama toward Exile

Devanagari script

कर्णवन्ति हि भूतानि विशेषेण तुरङ्गमाः।यूयं तस्मान्निवर्तध्वं याचनां प्रतिवेदिताः।।।।

Transliteration

karṇavanti hi bhūtāni viśeṣeṇa turaṅgamāḥ |

yūyaṃ tasmān nivartadhvaṃ yācanāṃ prativeditāḥ ||

Translation

众生皆有耳，尤以马匹听觉最为敏锐。因此，既已领会我们的恳求，请回转吧。

Word by Word

• karṇavanti: having ears (keen-hearing)
• karṇavanti: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: karṇa-vat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास ('having ears'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषण of bhūtāni

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, हेत्वर्थ/निश्चय (particle: 'indeed/for')

• bhūtāni: creatures, beings
• bhūtāni: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• viśeṣeṇa: especially
• viśeṣeṇa: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचन-रूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (instrumental used adverbially): 'especially'

• turaṅgamāḥ: horses
• turaṅgamāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: turaṅgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेष्य (subset of bhūtāni)

• yūyam: you (plural)
• yūyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुषार्थे मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययीभाव (ablatival adverb): 'therefore/from that reason'

• nivartadhvam: turn back
• nivartadhvam: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√vṛt (वृत् धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• yācanām: entreaty, request
• yācanām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yācanā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• prativeditāḥ: having understood/been informed
• prativeditāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-√vid (विद् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अर्थ: 'having been informed/knowing'

Context

Your master has a purity of heart. He is righteous, virtuous, brave and firm in resolve, carry him backward and not forward from the city into the forest.

Characters & Entities

• horses (turaṅgama)
• brahmins (implied by surrounding context)
• Rama (contextual)

FAQs

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

It teaches compassionate persuasion: even in distress, the speakers appeal gently—assuming responsiveness and moral sensitivity, extending ethical regard even to animals involved in the journey.

What is the narrative situation?

Brahmins following Rama attempt to stop or slow the onward movement toward the forest by imploring those directing the chariot and horses to turn back.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The brahmins’ earnest concern and their non-coercive, dharmic mode of appeal.