Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 24, Shloka 1

कौशल्यारामसंवादः

Kausalya–Rama Dialogue on Exile-Dharma

Devanagari script

तं समीक्ष्य त्ववहितं पितुर्निर्देश पालने।कौशल्या बाष्पसंरुद्धा वचो धर्मिष्ठमब्रवीत्।।2.24.1।।

Transliteration

taṃ samīkṣya tv avahitaṃ pitur nirdeśa-pālane | kauśalyā bāṣpa-saṃruddhā vaco dharmiṣṭham abravīt ||

Translation

Als sie ihn sah, wie er fest entschlossen und wachsam den Befehl seines Vaters zu erfüllen gedachte, sprach Kausalyā, die Stimme von Tränen erstickt, Worte, die im Dharma gegründet waren.

Word by Word

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• samīkṣya: having observed
• samīkṣya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्ययभाव; धातु: ईक्ष् (to see) with उपसर्ग sam-

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/अन्वयार्थ

• avahitam: attentive/determined
• avahitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ava-hita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; अर्थ: ‘attentive/determined’

• pituḥ: of (his) father
• pituḥ: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• nirdeśa-pālane: in obeying the command
• nirdeśa-pālane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nirdeśa (प्रातिपदिक) + pālana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: nirdeśasya pālanam

• kauśalyā: Kausalya
• kauśalyā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kauśalyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• bāṣpa-saṃruddhā: choked with tears
• bāṣpa-saṃruddhā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bāṣpa (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃruddha (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, रुध् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसदृशः: bāṣpeṇa saṃruddhā = ‘choked by tears’

• vacaḥ: words
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana/vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (vacas)

• dharmiṣṭham: most righteous
• dharmiṣṭham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharmiṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (superlative)

• abravīt: said
• abravīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Context

Having perceived that Rama was determined to carry out his father's command, Kausalya with her throat choked with tears said these words of piety:

Characters & Entities

• Kauśalyā
• Rāma
• Daśaratha (implied as ‘father’)

FAQs

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

Dharma is portrayed as obedience to rightful authority—Rāma’s commitment to his father’s command is recognized as a righteous, sustaining principle even amid sorrow.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma is prepared to fulfill Daśaratha’s order (exile). Kauśalyā, overwhelmed with grief, begins to address him with dharmic counsel.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s steadfastness (niścaya) in duty, and Kauśalyā’s dharmic clarity despite maternal anguish.