Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 72, Shloka 3

वैवाहिकसंबन्ध

निश्चयः / Fixing the Mithila–Ayodhya Marital Alliance

Devanagari script

सदृशो धर्मसम्बन्ध: सदृशो रूपसम्पदा।रामलक्ष्मणयो राजन् सीता चोर्मिलया सह।।।।

Transliteration

sadṛśo dharmasambandhaḥ sadṛśo rūpasampadā | rāmalakṣmaṇayo rājan sītā cormilayā saha ||

Translation

大王啊，罗摩与罗什曼那与悉多、以及乌尔弥罗的婚姻之缘极为相称：于法（dharma）相应，于容貌与德美亦相应。

Word by Word

• sadṛśaḥ: well-matched
• sadṛśaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sadṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; predicative with dharmasambandhaḥ

• dharmasambandhaḥ: the dharmic alliance
• dharmasambandhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) / subject (elliptic 'asti')
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma + sambandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'dharmasya sambandhaḥ' (religious/ritual propriety of the alliance)

• sadṛśaḥ: well-matched
• sadṛśaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sadṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; predicative with (implicit) sambandhaḥ / arrangement

• rūpasampadā: in beauty and excellence
• rūpasampadā: Karaṇa (करण) / instrumental specification
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa + sampad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā (तृतीया) Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'rūpasya sampadā' (by/with beauty and excellence)

• rāmalakṣmaṇayoḥ: of Rama and Lakshmana
• rāmalakṣmaṇayoḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध) (context: matching/connection)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma + lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī/Dvitīyā? Dual form; here Genitive Dual (षष्ठी द्विवचन) 'of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa' (dvandva)

• rājan: O king
• rājan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sambodhana Ekavacana, Puṃliṅga

• sītā: Sita
• sītā: Karta (कर्ता) (elliptic parallel construction)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-avyaya (समुच्चय) conjunction

• ūrmilayā: with Urmila
• ūrmilayā: Sahakāraka (सह) / accompaniment (with saha)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ūrmilā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā Ekavacana

• saha: together with
• saha: Sahārtha (सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: Sahārtha-avyaya (सहार्थ) 'together with' governing instrumental

Context

"Be safe. Be blessed. Let me retire to the camp. I have to perform the rites offerings to the forefathers".

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Janaka
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Sītā
• Ūrmilā

FAQs

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

Vivāha-dharma: marriage is validated as a righteous bond when compatibility is grounded in dharma (shared values and conduct), not only appearance.

What is the narrative situation?

Janaka confirms that the proposed pairings—Rāma–Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa–Ūrmilā—are appropriate and harmonious.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Janaka’s commitment to dharmic propriety: he frames marriage as a moral-sacred alliance rather than a mere political arrangement.