Shloka 62

सत्यपाशः

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

Devanagari script

सुमन्त्र राजा रजनीं रामहर्षसमुत्सुकः।।।।प्रजागरपरिश्रान्तो निद्राया वशमुपेयिवान्।

Transliteration

sumantra! rājā rajanīṃ rāmaharṣasamutsukaḥ | prajāgarapariśrānto nidrāyā vaśam upeyivān ||

Translation

O Sumantra, der König—voller Erwartung und von Freude ergriffen beim Gedanken an Rāmas Weihe—wachte die ganze Nacht; von der Wache erschöpft, ist er nun in die Macht des Schlafes gefallen.

Word by Word

• sumantra: O Sumantra
• sumantra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sumantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• rajanīm: the night
• rajanīm: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rajanī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; adverbial accusative of time (काल-द्वितीया)

• rāmaharṣasamutsukaḥ: eager with joy about Rama
• rāmaharṣasamutsukaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rāma + harṣa + samutsuka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (Primarily) Tatpuruṣa: rāme harṣe samutsukaḥ / rāma-harṣa-nimitta-samutsukaḥ; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; adjective to rājā

• prajāgarapariśrāntaḥ: wearied by staying awake
• prajāgarapariśrāntaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prajāgara + pariśrānta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: prajāgarāt pariśrāntaḥ; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; adjective to rājā

• nidrāyāḥ: of sleep
• nidrāyāḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nidrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• vaśam: control/sway
• vaśam: Karma (कर्म) (object of upeyivān)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• upeyivān: has come under (been overpowered)
• upeyivān: Kriyā (participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa + √i (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta, perfect active participle (लिट्-कृदन्त/क्वसु-प्रत्यय), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; "having gone to/come under"

Context

O Sumantra, excited with joy on account of the (proposed) installation of Rama, the king did not have a wink of sleep all night. He is weary and overpowered with sleep.

Characters & Entities

• Sumantra
• Rāma
• Daśaratha

FAQs

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

The verse indirectly frames royal duty and consequence: the king’s intense anticipation for a dharmic public rite (Rama’s consecration) leads to physical exhaustion, reminding that even rulers are bound by human limits while bearing responsibility for righteous governance.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī informs Sumantra that Daśaratha stayed awake all night in excitement about Rama’s coronation and is now asleep from fatigue.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Daśaratha’s earnest commitment to the planned coronation—his zeal for a righteous transition of rule—though it also highlights vulnerability and impending reversal in the narrative.