Valmiki Ramayana 2.42.10 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 42, Shloka 10

द्विचत्वारिंशः सर्गः — दशरथस्य शोक-विलापः तथा कौशल्यागृह-प्रवेशः

Dasaratha’s Lament and Return to Kausalya’s Apartments

Devanagari script

अथ रेणुसमुध्वस्तं समुत्थाप्य नराधिपम्।न्यवर्तत तदा देवी कौशल्या शोककर्शिता।।।।

Transliteration

atha reṇusamudhvastaṃ samutthāpya narādhipam |

nyavartata tadā devī kauśalyā śokakarśitā || 2.42.10 ||

Translation

তেতিয়া শোকত ক্ষীণ হোৱা দেৱী কৌশল্যাই ধূলিত আৱৃত নৰাধিপক উঠাই ধৰি, তেওঁক লগত লৈ ৰাজভৱনলৈ উভতি গ’ল।

Word by Word

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम/अनन्तर-अव्यय (then)

• reṇu-samudhvastam: covered with dust
• reṇu-samudhvastam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: reṇu + samudhvasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (reṇunā samudhvastaḥ = dust-covered), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘नराधिपम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• samutthāpya: having lifted up
• samutthāpya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ud√sthā/√sthā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (gerund), ‘having raised/lifted up’

• narādhipam: the king (lord of men)
• narādhipam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (नराणाम् अधिपः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• nyavartata: returned
• nyavartata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni√vṛt (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• tadā: at that time
• tadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• devī: the queen
• devī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा एकवचन

• kauśalyā: Kausalya
• kauśalyā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kauśalyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; नाम (proper noun)

• śoka-karśitā: emaciated by grief
• śoka-karśitā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śoka + karśitā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (शोकेन कर्शिता), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘कौशल्या’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; कर्‍श् (√kṛś) + क्त

Context

Then Kausalya, emaciated due to sorrow, lifted the king who was thoroughly coated with dust and returned to the palace.

Characters & Entities

• Kausalyā
• Daśaratha
• palace

FAQs

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

Dharma appears as caregiving duty amid crisis: Kausalyā supports the fallen king, modeling steadfast compassion and responsibility even while grieving.

What is the narrative situation?

After Daśaratha collapses in grief while watching Rāma depart, Kausalyā helps him up and takes him back inside.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Kausalyā’s compassion and steadiness—she acts to protect and support despite her own sorrow.