Shloka 18

सत्यपाशः

Kaikeyi’s Demand and the Noose of the King’s Promise

Devanagari script

न च शक्तोऽस्म्यहं द्रष्टुं दृष्ट्वा पूर्वं तथासुखम्।हतहर्षं निरानन्दं पुनर्जनमवाङ्मुखम्।।।।

Transliteration

na ca śakto ’smy ahaṃ draṣṭuṃ dṛṣṭvā pūrvaṃ tathā-sukham |

hata-harṣaṃ nirānandaṃ punar janam avāṅmukham ||

Translation

Da ich das Volk einst so glücklich sah, vermag ich es nicht wiederzusehen—freudlos, ohne Heiterkeit, mit gesenkten Gesichtern.

Word by Word

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

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• शक्तः: able
• शक्तः: Pradhana-visheshana (प्रधान-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicate)

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• द्रष्टुम्: to see
• द्रष्टुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्यय (infinitive); क्रियार्थक-नपुंसक; ‘to see’

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having seen)

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• तथा: thus/such
• तथा: Prakara (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (manner adverb)

• सुखम्: happiness
• सुखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (object of ‘having seen’)

• हतहर्षम्: with joy destroyed
• हतहर्षम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हत-हर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying जनम्); कर्मधारयः: हतः हर्षः यस्य (bereft of joy)

• निरानन्दम्: devoid of happiness
• निरानन्दम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying जनम्)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति-वाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• जनम्: people
• जनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अवाङ्मुखम्: with downcast faces
• अवाङ्मुखम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवाङ्-मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying जनम्); कर्मधारयः: अवाङ् (downward) मुखम् (face) = down-faced

Context

Having seen people formerly enjoying happiness, I cannot see them again with their downcast, cheerless faces devoid of all happiness.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī
• Ayodhyā (implied populace)

FAQs

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

A king’s dharma includes safeguarding the welfare and morale of his people; Daśaratha’s anguish reflects the ethical burden of decisions that plunge society into sorrow.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha anticipates the public despair that will follow if Rāma’s coronation is thwarted and speaks of his inability to witness that collective suffering.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Empathy and responsibility: Daśaratha feels the people’s emotional state as part of his royal duty.