Valmiki Ramayana 2.64.56: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 64, Shloka 56

शब्दवेध्य-अनर्थः, ऋषिशापः, दशरथस्य प्राणत्यागः

The Sound-Target Tragedy, the Sage’s Curse, and Dasaratha’s Death

Devanagari script

अज्ञानात्तु हतो यस्मात्क्षत्रियेण त्वया मुनिः।तस्मात्त्वां नाविशत्याशु ब्रह्महत्या नराधिप।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.64.56

Transliteration

ajñānāt tu hato yasmāt kṣatriyeṇa tvayā muniḥ | tasmāt tvāṁ nāviśaty āśu brahmahatyā narādhipa ||

Translation

অজ্ঞানবশত, হে নৰাধিপ, তুমি ক্ষত্ৰিয় হৈ সেই মুনিক বধ কৰিলাহ; সেয়ে ব্ৰাহ্মণহত্যাৰ পাপ তোমাক তৎক্ষণাৎ আহি ধৰি নলয়।

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Word by Word

• अज्ञानात्: from ignorance
• अज्ञानात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; ablative singular

• तु: however/indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात

• हतः: killed
• हतः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate of मुनिः

• यस्मात्: since
• यस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचन रूप used as causal conjunction ‘since/because’

• क्षत्रियेण: by a kshatriya
• क्षत्रियेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; instrumental singular (as a kshatriya)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Kartr-karana (कर्ता-करण/agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन; instrumental singular

• मुनिः: a sage
• मुनिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचन रूप used adverbially ‘therefore’

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• आविशति: enters/afflicts
• आविशति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-विश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; present 3rd sg

• आशु: immediately
• आशु: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (quickly/immediately)

• ब्रह्महत्या: the sin of brahmin-slaying
• ब्रह्महत्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + हत्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ब्राह्मणस्य/ब्रह्मणः हत्या; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; subject of आविशति

• नराधिप: O lord of men
• नराधिप: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: नराणाम् अधिपः; पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Context

'Since you, O lord of men, you have killed an ascetic unaware, as kshatriya the sin of slaying a brahmin will not accrue to you immediately.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• muni (ascetic/sage)

FAQs

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

Intention and knowledge (ajñāna vs. jāna) affect culpability, yet harm still calls forth moral consequence; dharma weighs both act and awareness.

What is the narrative situation?

After his son is accidentally killed, the ascetic addresses Daśaratha and explains why the full stain of brahmin-slaying is not said to strike him at once.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral discernment and fairness: the ascetic distinguishes ignorance from deliberate wrongdoing while still holding the king accountable to consequence.