Valmiki Ramayana 2.36.22: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 36, Shloka 22

अयोध्याकाण्डे षट्त्रिंशः सर्गः · Daśaratha’s orders for Rama’s escort; Kaikeyi’s fear; the Asamañjasa precedent

Addressed to King SagaraSetting: Sarayū riverbank (within Ayodhyā region)Places named: Sarayū

Devanagari script

डक्रीडतस्त्वेष नः पुत्रान् बालानुद्भ्रान्तचेतनः ।

सरय्वां प्रक्षिपन्मौर्ख्यादतुलां प्रीतिमश्नुते ॥२२॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.36.22

Transliteration

ḍakrīḍatas tv eṣa naḥ putrān bālān udbhrānta-cetanaḥ |

sarayvāṃ prakṣipan maurkhyād atulāṃ prītim aśnute ||22||

Translation

„Dieser Mann, dessen Geist verwirrt ist, wirft aus Torheit unsere kleinen Söhne, während sie spielen, in die Sarayū; und daran findet er unvergleichliche Freude.“

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Word by Word

• क्रीडतः: while playing
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रीड् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; "of (him) playing"
• Role: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle)
• Role: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)

• एषः: this man
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
• Role: कर्ता (Karta)

• नः: our
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम
• Role: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)

• पुत्रान्: sons
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन
• Role: कर्म (Karma)

• बालान्: young
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण
• Role: कर्म (Karma)

• उद्भ्रान्तचेतनः: deranged-minded
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्भ्रान्त-चेतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (उद्भ्रान्ता चेतना यस्य)
• Role: कर्ता (Karta)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• सरय्वाम्: in the Sarayū
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरयु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन
• Role: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)

• प्रक्षिपन्: throwing
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
• Role: कर्ता (Karta)

• मौर्ख्यात्: out of folly
• Type: Noun
• Root: मौर्ख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेतौ (cause)
• Role: अपादान (Apādāna)

• अतुलाम्: incomparable
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण
• Role: कर्म (Karma)

• प्रीतिम्: delight
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
• Role: कर्म (Karma)

• अश्नुते: attains/derives
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
• Role: क्रिया (Kriyā)

Sandhi Notes

• क्रीडतस्त्वेष → क्रीडतः तु एषः
• बालानुद्भ्रान्तचेतनः → बालान् उद्भ्रान्तचेतनः
• प्रक्षिपन्मौर्ख्यात् → प्रक्षिपन् मौर्ख्यात्
• प्रीतिमश्नुते → प्रीतिम् अश्नुते

Context

That insane (Asamanjasa) while throwing our children who were playing around into Sarayu river in his insanity derived incomparable pleasure'.

The teaching

Cruelty to the helpless is adharma; when power becomes violent, society must appeal to justice and the ruler must act decisively.

Duties in tension

• King’s duty to protect children/subjects
• Father’s attachment to son
• Need to restrain/punish cruelty and madness

Ethical theme

Ahiṃsā / protection of the vulnerable

How it resolves

Necessity of removing the harmful agent from the community

For your practice

Strengthens resolve for ahiṃsā and compassion; prompts prayerful vigilance against pramāda and tamas.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Bibhatsa (disgust), with Bhayanaka (fear)

Mood

Horrified, repulsed, panic-stricken

Themes

• Dharma
• Protection of innocents
• Ethics
• Adharma
• Social justice

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Sarayū
• Asamañja (implied as “this man”)

FAQs

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

Dharma requires safeguarding children and punishing cruelty. Pleasure taken in others’ suffering is identified as a grave moral disorder that society must not normalize.

What is the narrative situation?

The citizens explain the specific crime causing fear: their children are being thrown into the river by the king’s son.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The virtue highlighted by contrast is parental and civic protection—standing up to power to defend the helpless.