Valmiki Ramayana 2.12.47: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 47

द्वादशः सर्गः — Kaikeyi’s Boons and Dasaratha’s Moral Collapse

Ayodhya Kanda 12

Devanagari script

अहं हि विषमद्यैव पीत्वा बहु तवाग्रतः।पश्यतस्ते मरिष्यामि रामो यद्यभिषिच्यते।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.12.47

Transliteration

ahaṃ hi viṣam adyaiva pītvā bahu tavāgrataḥ |

paśyatas te mariṣyāmi rāmo yady abhiṣicyate || 2.12.47 ||

Translation

إذا تم تكريس راما، فسأموت حقًا اليوم نفسه - بشرب الكثير من السم - أمامك مباشرة، وأنت تنظر.

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Word by Word

• aham: I
• aham: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle: 'indeed/for')

• viṣam: poison
• viṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• adya: today
• adya: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time: 'today')

• eva: itself/just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (restrictive particle: 'only/just')

• pītvā: having drunk
• pītvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), 'having drunk'

• bahu: much/excessive
• bahu: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) of viṣam

• tava: your
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• agrataḥ: in your presence
• agrataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: agrataḥ (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-निपात)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: 'in front/presence')

• paśyataḥ: as (you) watch
• paśyataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive absolute-like)
• Type: Verb
• Root: paśyat (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक from dṛś/paś)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; 'while (you) are watching'

• te: of you
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (Gen./Dat.), एकवचन; here with paśyataḥ = Genitive 'of you'

• mariṣyāmi: I will die
• mariṣyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: mṛ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future/भविष्यत्), परस्मैपदम्, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• rāmaḥ: Rama
• rāmaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/condition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (if)

• abhiṣicyate: is installed (anointed)
• abhiṣicyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-ṣic (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense: 'is anointed/installed')

Context

If Rama is coronated I will die while as you are watching right in your presence today itself by drinking excessive poison.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha
• Rāma

FAQs

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

The verse illustrates adharma as coercion: moral decisions are distorted when forced by threats; it contrasts sharply with satya as a free, principled commitment.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī escalates her demand by threatening suicide if Daśaratha proceeds with Rāma’s coronation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Daśaratha’s vulnerability is highlighted: compassion and fear of sin (causing a queen’s death) become pressure points against dharmic judgment.