Valmiki Ramayana 2.20.6: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 20, Shloka 6

अयोध्याकाण्डे विंशः सर्गः · Rama Enters Kauśalyā’s Antaḥpura; Ritual Preparations and the Shock of Exile

Devanagari script

इति सर्वा महिष्यस्ता विवत्सा इव धेनवः ।

पतिमाचुक्रुशुश्चैव सस्वरं चापि चुक्रुशुः ॥६॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.20.6

Transliteration

iti sarvā mahiṣyas tā vivatsā iva dhenavaḥ |

patim ācukruśuś caiva sasvaraṃ cāpi cukruśuḥ ||6||

Translation

So schrien all jene erhabenen Königinnen—wie Kühe, denen die Kälber genommen sind—laut auf; sie jammerten und klagten, ihren Gemahl rufend.

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Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्ध/वाक्योपसंहार (discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-शब्दः (quotative particle/marker of speech: “thus”)

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: कर्तृ (agent; qualifier of mahiṣyāḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (सर्व-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन (feminine nominative plural)

• महिष्याः: the queens / king's wives
• महिष्याः: कर्तृ (agent; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिषी (महिषी-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन (feminine nominative plural)

• ताः: those (women)
• ताः: कर्तृ (appositive to mahiṣyāḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन (feminine nominative plural; pronoun)

• विवत्साः: calfless
• विवत्साः: कर्तृ (qualifier; in simile)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विवत्स (विवत्स-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन (feminine nominative plural; used adjectivally)

• इव: like
• इव: उपमान-सम्बन्ध (simile marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-वाचक (particle of comparison: “like/as”)

• धेनवः: cows
• धेनवः: उपमान (standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धेनु (धेनु-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन (feminine nominative plural)

• पतिम्: husband
• पतिम्: कर्म (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (पति-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन (masculine accusative singular)

• आचुक्रुशुः: cried out to / lamented for
• आचुक्रुशुः: क्रिया (verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + क्रुश् (धातु: क्रुश्; उपसर्ग: आ)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्सभूत/Perfect); प्रथम-पुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd person plural, perfect, parasmaipada)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction “and”)

• एव: indeed
• एव: अवधारण (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle: “indeed/just”)

• सस्वरम्: loudly / with a loud voice
• सस्वरम्: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स + स्वर (स्वर-प्रातिपदिक; उपसर्गवत् ‘स-’ = ‘with’)
• Form: अव्ययभावेन प्रयुक्तं नपुंसकलिङ्ग-द्वितीया-एकवचन (adverbial accusative: “with voice/loudly”)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction “and”)

• अपि: also
• अपि: समुच्चय (addition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ (particle: “also/even”)

• चुक्रुशुः: cried / wailed
• चुक्रुशुः: क्रिया (verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रुश् (धातु: क्रुश्)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्सभूत/Perfect); प्रथम-पुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd person plural, perfect, parasmaipada)

Context

Thus all the queens like calfless cows cried loudly blaming their husband.

Characters & Entities

• Dasharatha (implied by pati)

FAQs

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

It shows the human cost that can accompany dharma-bound royal decisions: even when truth and vows are upheld, the household may be shaken by grief, revealing dharma’s severity as well as its necessity.

What is the narrative situation?

Within the palace, the queens collectively break into loud lamentation, comparing themselves to calfless cows amid the crisis surrounding Rama.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Not a single virtue but a shared emotional reality: the queens’ vulnerability and attachment, illustrating the epic’s compassionate portrayal of suffering.