Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 43

द्वादशः सर्गः — Kaikeyi’s Boons and Dasaratha’s Moral Collapse

Ayodhya Kanda 12

Devanagari script

शैब्यश्श्येनकपोतीये स्वमांसं पक्षिणे ददौ।अलर्कश्चक्षुषी दत्वा जगाम गतिमुत्तमाम्।।।।

Transliteration

śaibyaḥ śyenakapotīye svamāṃsaṃ pakṣiṇe dadau |

alarkaś cakṣuṣī datvā jagāma gatim uttamām || 2.12.43 ||

Translation

König Śaibya gab in der Erzählung vom Habicht und der Taube dem Vogel sein eigenes Fleisch; und König Alarka, der seine Augen hingab, gelangte zum höchsten Zustand.

Word by Word

• सागरः: the ocean
• सागरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समयम्: agreement; vow
• समयम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु) (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): having made

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• वेलाम्: shore; boundary
• वेलाम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अतिवर्तते: crosses; transgresses
• अतिवर्तते: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अति + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• समयम्: the vow; agreement
• समयम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मा: do not
• मा: निषेध (Prohibition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (prohibitive)

• अनृतम्: false; untrue
• अनृतम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (समयम्)

• कार्षीः: do/make
• कार्षीः: क्रिया (Prohibitive command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; निषेधार्थे मा-सह (prohibitive imperative)

• पूर्ववृत्तम्: former precedent; past history
• पूर्ववृत्तम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व + वृत्त (वृत्-धातु, क्त; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP used as noun)

• अनुस्मरन्: remembering
• अनुस्मरन्: कर्ता (Karta; implied ‘you’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु + स्मृ (धातु) (शतृ-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present participle), (त्वम् implied)

Context

(King) Saibya gave his own flesh to the hawk in the conflict between the hawk and the pigeon. (King) Alarka gave his eyes (to a blind man) and attained the highest state.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha
• Śaibya
• Alarka

FAQs

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

Dharma is upheld through costly commitment: ideal kings accept personal loss to preserve righteousness and truth, using precedent (itihāsa) as moral authority.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī cites legendary exemplars to shame Daśaratha into fulfilling his pledge, implying that righteous kings sacrifice rather than break vows.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Tyāga (self-sacrifice) in service of dharma—placing moral duty above bodily comfort or personal advantage.