Ayodhya Kanda Sarga 24 Shloka 12 - Valmiki Ramayana | German | Vedapath

Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 24, Shloka 12

कौशल्यारामसंवादः

Kausalya–Rama Dialogue on Exile-Dharma

Devanagari script

भर्तुः किल परित्यागो नृशंसः केवलं स्त्रियाः।स भवत्या न कर्तव्यो मनसाऽपि विगर्हितः।।2.24.12।।

Transliteration

bhartuḥ kila parityāgo nṛśaṃsaḥ kevalaṃ striyāḥ | sa bhavatyā na kartavyo manasā ’pi vigarhitaḥ ||

Translation

Für eine Frau ist es wahrlich grausam, den Gatten zu verlassen; du darfst es nicht tun, denn selbst der Gedanke daran ist tadelnswert.

Word by Word

भर्तुःof the husband

किलindeed, as is said

परित्यागःabandonment

नृशंसःcruel

केवलम्only, merely

स्त्रियाःof a woman

सःthat (act)

भवत्याby you

नnot

कर्तव्यःshould be done

मनसाby mind, in thought

अपिeven

विगर्हितःblameworthy, condemned

Context

For a woman, to desert her husband is a cruel act. You must not do that which is contemptible even to think.

Characters & Entities

Rāma

Kauśalyā

Daśaratha (implied as husband)

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

The verse teaches steadfast loyalty and care within marriage, condemning abandonment as cruelty and as morally wrong even at the level of intention.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma counsels Kauśalyā not to leave or withdraw from Daśaratha after Rāma departs for exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s moral clarity and protective concern for family order (maryādā) in a moment of emotional upheaval.