Valmiki Ramayana 2.46.33 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 46, Shloka 33

तमसातीरवासः

Night on the Bank of the Tamasa and the Stratagem to Elude the Citizens

Devanagari script

तौ सम्प्रयुक्तं तु रथं समास्थितौतदा ससीतौ रघुवंशवर्धनौ।प्रचोदयामास ततस्तुरङ्गमान्स सारथिर्येन पथा तपोवनम्।।2.46.33।।

Transliteration

tau samprayuktaṃ tu rathaṃ samāsthitau tadā sasītau raghuvaṃśa-vardhanau | pracodayāmāsa tatas turaṅgamān sa sārathir yena pathā tapovanam ||2.46.33||

Translation

于是，弘扬罗睺族的两位王子与悉多一同登上套缚齐整的战车；御者随即策马，沿着通往苦行林的道路疾驰而去。

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (अव्यय)

• samāsthāya: having mounted
• samāsthāya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√sthā (धातु)
• Form: Ktvānta (क्त्वान्त/absolutive) 'having mounted'

• ratham: chariot
• ratham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• mahārathaḥ: great warrior
• mahārathaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi (बहुव्रीहि) 'great chariot-warrior'; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• sasārathiḥ: with the charioteer
• sasārathiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa-sārathi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa with 'sa-' = 'with'; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifies dāśarathiḥ

• dāśarathiḥ: son of Daśaratha (Rama)
• dāśarathiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāśarathi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• vanam: forest
• vanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• yayau: went
• yayau: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (लिट्, perfect), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• udaṅmukham: north-facing
• udaṅmukham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: udan-mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa; Neuter, Accusative, Singular; qualifies ratham

• tam: that
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Accusative, Singular; refers to ratham

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• ratham: chariot
• ratham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• cakāra: made/caused
• cakāra: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (लिट्, perfect), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative, Singular (agent understood: sārathiḥ/Sumantra)

• prayāṇamāṅgalya-nimitta-darśanāt: because of seeing auspicious journey-omens
• prayāṇamāṅgalya-nimitta-darśanāt: Hetu (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prayāṇa-māṅgalya-nimitta-darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa chain compound; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

Context

Righteous Bharata will indeed console parents with words in conformity with dharma, artha and kama.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Lakshmana
• Sita
• Sumantra
• Chariot
• Tapovana (forest of austerities)

FAQs

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

Dharma as steadfastness in vows: the royal heirs move toward a life of tapas, showing commitment to duty over comfort.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama, Lakṣmaṇa, and Sītā board the chariot; Sumantra begins driving them toward the forest route.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Resolve and renunciation—choosing the ascetic forest-path while maintaining royal dignity (maryādā).