Valmiki Ramayana 2.20.41 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 20, Shloka 41

अयोध्याकाण्डे विंशः सर्गः

Rama Enters Kauśalyā’s Antaḥpura; Ritual Preparations and the Shock of Exile

Devanagari script

त्वयि सन्निहितेऽप्येवमहमासं निराकृता।किं पुनः प्रोषिते तात ध्रुवं मरणमेव मे।।।।

Transliteration

tvayi sannihite ’py evam aham āsaṃ nirākṛtā | kiṃ punaḥ proṣite tāta dhruvaṃ maraṇam eva me ||

Translation

حتى وأنت حاضرٌ يا بُنيّ العزيز، عوملتُ كأنني مطروحةٌ جانبًا؛ فكيف إذا كنتَ بعيدًا في المنفى؟ إن الموتَ لي لآتٍ لا محالة.

Word by Word

• त्वयि: in/when you
• त्वयि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Locative (7/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• सन्निहिते: being nearby/present
• सन्निहिते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ni-hita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Locative (7/सप्तमी), Singular; Masculine/Neuter form used with tvayi; from √dhā with ni + sam (निहित) meaning 'present/near'

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, concessive particle (अपि = even)

• एवम्: thus/in this way
• एवम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb (प्रकार)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular

• आसम्: was
• आसम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (लङ्, imperfect/past), Parasmaipada, Uttama-puruṣa, Singular

• निराकृता: rejected/repulsed
• निराकृता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-ā-kṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त) from √kṛ with nir+ā; Feminine, Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular; predicate to aham

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative pronoun, Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• पुनः: then again/how much more
• पुनः: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb (पुनः = again/more so)

• प्रोषिते: when (you are) away
• प्रोषिते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: proṣita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Kta participle from √vas with pra (प्रोषित = gone away/absent), Locative (7/सप्तमी), Singular; used with implied tvayi

• तात: dear child
• तात: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8/सम्बोधन), Singular

• ध्रुवम्: certainly
• ध्रुवम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; adverbial predicate (निश्चयेन)

• मरणम्: death
• मरणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, emphatic particle (निश्चय/अवधारण)

• मे: for me
• मे: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Dative (4/चतुर्थी), Singular

Context

O child! even when you are nearby I am neglected like this. What to say when you are banished. Death is certain to me.

Characters & Entities

• Kausalyā
• Rāma

FAQs

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

The verse raises the dharmic tension between public duty and private care: the righteous path must also consider obligations toward parents, whose well-being is traditionally a strong component of dharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Kausalyā fears that Rāma’s departure will remove her last support and that she will not survive the separation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s filial centrality is implied—his mere presence is portrayed as life-sustaining for his mother.