Shloka 26

रामदर्शनार्थं दारानयनम्

The Queens Summoned; Rama’s Leave-Taking and Dasaratha’s Collapse

Devanagari script

अहं राघव कैकेय्या वरदानेन मोहितः।अयोध्यायास्त्वमेवाद्य भव राजा निगृह्य माम्।।।।

Transliteration

ahaṃ rāghava! kaikeyyā varadānena mohitaḥ |

ayodhyāyās tvam evādya bhava rājā nigṛhya mām ||

Translation

„O Rāghava, Kaikeyī hat mich durch die Gewährung der erbetenen Gaben betört. Zügle mich, und werde du selbst noch heute König von Ayodhyā.“

Word by Word

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Nominative, Singular

• rāghava: O Raghava
• rāghava: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• kaikeyyā: by Kaikeyi
• kaikeyyā: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaikeyī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular; agent/influence sense

• varadānena: by the boon-gift
• varadānena: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक) + dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: 'gift of boons'; Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• mohitaḥ: deluded
• mohitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √muh (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular (predicate to aham)

• ayodhyāyāḥ: of Ayodhya
• ayodhyāyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ayodhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Nominative, Singular

• eva: indeed/alone
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, emphatic particle (अवधारण)

• adya: today/now
• adya: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb of time (कालवाचक)

• bhava: become
• bhava: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (imperative), Parasmaipada, Madhyama-puruṣa, Singular

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

• nigṛhya: having restrained
• nigṛhya: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√grah (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्), 'having restrained/confined'

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Accusative, Singular

Context

Thus spoken to by the king, Rama, skilled in speech and upholder of righteousness, replied to his father with folded palms:

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Rāma (Rāghava)
• Kaikeyī
• Ayodhyā
• boons (vara)

FAQs

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

The verse exposes a dharmic tension: a king bound by promises (satya) feels morally trapped, yet still seeks a righteous outcome for the kingdom through Rāma’s rule.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha, overwhelmed by the consequences of boons granted to Kaikeyī, urges Rāma to take the throne and restrain him from further harmful compliance.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Daśaratha’s truth-consciousness—he recognizes the binding power of his word even while lamenting the delusion that led to it.