Valmiki Ramayana 2.13.20: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 13, Shloka 20

अयोध्याकाण्डे त्रयोदशः सर्गः | Kaikeyi Presses the Boons; Dasaratha’s Lament and Collapse

Spoken by Dasharatha to KaikeyiSetting: Ayodhyā (inner palace)

Devanagari script

साधु वृत्तस्य दीनस्य त्वद्गतस्य गतायुषः ॥२०॥

प्रसादः क्रियतां देवि भद्रे राज्ञो विशेषतः ।

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.13.20

Transliteration

sādhu vṛttasya dīnasya tvadgatasya gatāyuṣaḥ ||20||

prasādaḥ kriyatāṃ devi bhadre rājño viśeṣataḥ |

Translation

হে দেবি, ভদ্রে! সদাচারী এই দীন ব্যক্তির প্রতি—যে তোমাতেই আশ্রিত এবং যার আয়ু প্রায় শেষ—অনুগ্রহ করো; বিশেষত আমি তোমার রাজা।

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Word by Word

• sādhu: well; rightly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sādhu (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (प्रशंसार्थक/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय)
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)

• vṛttasya: of well-behaved
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vṛtta (वृत् धातु, क्त)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); ‘of well-conducted’
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)

• dīnasya: of the wretched
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)

• tvad-gatasya: of one devoted to you
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tvad (युष्मद्) + gata (गम् धातु, क्त)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); ‘gone to you’ = devoted to you
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• gata-āyuṣaḥ: of one near death
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gata (गम् धातु, क्त) + āyus (आयुस् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); ‘whose life has gone’
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• prasādaḥ: favor; grace
• Type: Noun
• Root: prasāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• kriyatām: let it be done
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: Imperative passive (लोट्, कर्मणि), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• devi: O queen; O goddess
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)

• bhadre: O gentle one
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)

• rājñaḥ: of the king
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (राजन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)

• viśeṣataḥ: especially
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (विशेषणार्थक-अव्यय)
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)

Sandhi Notes

• tvadgatasya = tvad + gatasya
• gatāyuṣaḥ = gata + āyuṣaḥ

Context

O gentle queen, I am an old man and my life is almost over. I am a wretch devoted to you. I am a man of good conduct. Do me this favour especially as I am king.

The teaching

Prasāda (grace) is the dharmic response to the helpless; when withheld, adharma hardens even intimate bonds.

Duties in tension

• Queen’s duty of compassion to husband
• King’s duty to uphold boons and state order
• Personal desire vs household dharma

Ethical theme

Family ethics / compassion

Devotion and practice

Useful as a reflection on seeking and granting prasāda; encourages softness of heart toward the vulnerable.

Form of praise

Vandana (salutation)

Mantra

prasādaḥ kriyatām

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Humble, imploring, fading strength

Themes

• Dharma
• Appeal for compassion
• Kingship
• Ethics
• Supplication

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī

FAQs

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

Dharma includes dayā (compassion): Daśaratha appeals to humane consideration and the moral duty to treat an aged, afflicted person with mercy.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha, broken and fearful of the consequences, begs Kaikeyī to relent and show him grace.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Humility and dependence on compassion—Daśaratha lowers himself to pleading, underscoring how severe the crisis has become.