Valmiki Ramayana 2.10.21 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 10, Shloka 21

क्रोधागारप्रवेशः — Entry into the Chamber of Wrath

Kaikeyī’s Protest

Devanagari script

प्रतीहार्या वचश्शृत्वा राजा परमदुर्मनाः।।।।विषसाद पुनर्भूयो लुलितव्याकुलेन्द्रियः।।

Transliteration

pratīhāryā vacaḥ śrutvā rājā paramadurmanāḥ |

viṣasāda punar bhūyo lulita-vyākulendriyaḥ ||

Translation

Als der König die Worte der Türhüterin hörte, wurde er zutiefst niedergeschlagen; immer wieder sank er in Kummer, die Sinne erschüttert und ohne Halt.

Word by Word

• pratīhāryāḥ: of the doorkeeper
• pratīhāryāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratīhārī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti, Ekavacana

• vacaḥ: words
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (श्रु धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: absolutive/gerund (क्त्वा) = 'having heard'

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• parama-durmanāḥ: deeply distressed
• parama-durmanāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + durmanas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; samāsa: karmadhāraya = 'extremely down-hearted'

• viṣasāda: became dejected
• viṣasāda: Kriyā (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√sad (सद् धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (लिट्/Perfect), Parasmaipada; Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana

• punar: again
• punar: Kāla (काल/Iteration)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; punarukti/kramārtha adverb (again)

• bhūyaḥ: still more
• bhūyaḥ: Prakāra (प्रकार/Degree)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhūyaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adhikatara-arthaka (more/further)

• lulita-vyākula-indriyaḥ: with agitated, unsteady senses
• lulita-vyākula-indriyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: lulita (प्रातिपदिक; from √lul/√luṭ? 'shaken') + vyākula (प्रातिपदिक) + indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; samāsa: tatpuruṣa (bahu-component) = 'one whose senses are shaken and agitated'

Context

Hearing the words of the door-keeper, the melancholic king grieved all the more with his senses agitated and unstable.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī

FAQs

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

It shows how attachment and anxiety can unsettle judgment; dharma in leadership requires steadiness of mind, yet the epic honestly depicts the king’s human vulnerability.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha reacts to news that Kaikeyī is in the ‘wrath chamber,’ anticipating conflict and fearing its consequences.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Daśaratha’s sensitivity and emotional depth—though here it appears as instability that will soon impair his ability to uphold dharma.