Valmiki Ramayana 2.43.7: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 43, Shloka 7

कौशल्याविलापः · Kausalya’s Lament and the Vision of Rama’s Return

Spoken by Kausalya to DasharathaSetting: AyodhyaPlaces named: Kekaya (as 'Kaikeyyā'), forest (vana)Rama’s departure toward forest exile (vanavāsa) implied

Devanagari script

वने त्वदृष्टदुःखानां केकय्यानुमते त्वया ।

त्यक्तानां वनवासाय कान्ववस्था भविष्यति ॥७॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.43.7

Transliteration

vane tvadṛṣṭaduḥkhānāṃ kaikayyānumate tvayā |

tyaktānāṃ vanavāsāya kā nv avasthā bhaviṣyati ||7||

Translation

بأمرِ كايكَيِي وبموافقتك، قد طرحتَهم إلى سكنى الغابة—أولئك الذين لم يذوقوا شقاءً من قبل. إلى أي حالٍ سيُردّون هناك؟

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Word by Word

• vane: in the forest
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)

• tva-dṛṣṭa-duḥkhānām: of those (who are) unacquainted with suffering
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tva (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + dṛṣṭa (कृदन्त, √dṛś धातु) + duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (agreeing with implied 'janānām'), Genitive (6th), Plural; तत्पुरुष: 'tvayā dṛṣṭaṃ duḥkhaṃ yeṣām' = those whose suffering has been seen by you / (idiomatically) who have not seen suffering (contextual negation implied by usage)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• kaikeyyāḥ: of Kaikeyi
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaikeyī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• anumate: with the consent
• Type: Noun
• Root: anumati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th), Singular; 'in/under the consent/approval'
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)

• tvayā: by you
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Instrumental (3rd), Singular
• Role: Karta/Agent (कर्ता) (agent of 'tyaktānām')

• tyaktānām: of those abandoned
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tyaj (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Genitive, Plural; 'of the abandoned (people)'
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• vana-vāsāya: for forest-dwelling
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक) + vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; तत्पुरुष: 'vane vāsaḥ'
• Role: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• kā: what? (which)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative pronoun, Feminine, Nominative, Singular
• Role: Karta (कर्ता) (subject of bhaviṣyati)

• nu: indeed/then (question particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nu (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative/emphatic particle (निपात)
• Role: Nipāta (निपात)

• avasthā: condition/state
• Type: Noun
• Root: avasthā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular
• Role: Karta (कर्ता) (apposition to kā)

• bhaviṣyati: will be
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Future (लृट्), 3rd person, Singular; parasmaipada
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

Sandhi Notes

• kēkayyānumate = kaikeyyāḥ + anumate
• kānvavasthā = kā + nu + avasthā

Context

You have banished them as per the desire of Kaikeyi. What will be their plight in the forest, for they have never experienced any hardship earlier!

The teaching

Promises made without foresight can become instruments of adharma-like cruelty; yet the king is bound by satya, revealing dharma’s hard edge.

Duties in tension

• Daśaratha’s duty to keep his promise to Kaikeyī
• King’s duty of protection toward his son and subjects
• Spousal obligation vs moral discernment

Ethical theme

Satya-vrata vs dayā (truth-keeping vs compassion)

How it resolves

Tragic adherence to vow (satya) despite personal and familial ruin

For your practice

Reflection on speech ethics (vāg-dharma): assent and promises should be governed by discernment and compassion.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Raudra (fury)

Mood

Indignant, anxious, lamenting

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Ethics
• Grief
• Exile (vanavāsa)

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Rāma
• Sītā
• Lakṣmaṇa
• forest (vana)

FAQs

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

The verse challenges the righteousness of abandoning the innocent to hardship for the sake of a boon’s demand, highlighting a dharmic concern for compassion and protection of dependents.

What is the narrative situation?

Kausalyā laments to Daśaratha after Rāma’s exile has been ordered under Kaikeyī’s influence, fearing the suffering awaiting Rāma and his companions in the forest.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Kausalyā’s maternal compassion and moral clarity—she measures royal action against humane duty.