Valmiki Ramayana 2.39.4: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 39, Shloka 4

एकोनचत्वारिंशः सर्गः · Dasaratha’s Lament, Sumantra’s Commission, and Sita’s Vow of Marital Dharma

Devanagari script

मन्ये खलु मया पूर्वं विवत्सा बहवःकृताः ।

प्राणिनो हिंसिता वापि तस्मादिदमुपस्थितम् ॥४॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.39.4

Transliteration

manye khalu mayā pūrvaṃ vivatsā bahavaḥ kṛtāḥ |

prāṇino hiṃsitā vāpi tasmād idam upasthitam ||4||

Translation

„Wahrlich, einst muss ich viele ihrer Kinder beraubt haben, oder ich habe lebende Wesen verletzt; darum, so meine ich, ist dieses Unglück über mich gekommen.“

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Word by Word

• मन्ये: I think/deem
• मन्ये: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन

• खलु: indeed
• खलु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle ‘indeed/surely’)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उभयलिङ्ग/सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग/क्रियाविशेषण (adverb ‘formerly/in the past’)

• विवत्साः: bereft of children
• विवत्साः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘वत्स-रहित’ (deprived of calves/children)

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कृताः: were made/reduced
• कृताः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense ‘were made’)

• प्राणिनः: living beings
• प्राणिनः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• हिंसिताः: were harmed
• हिंसिताः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हिंस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (disjunctive ‘or’)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-भाव (particle ‘also/even’)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-रूपेण हेत्वर्थे अव्ययीभूत (ablatival adverb ‘therefore/from that’)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उपस्थितम्: has befallen
• उपस्थितम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘has come to pass/befallen’

Context

'In the past I must have separated many from their children or harmed many living beings. That is why I think this calamity has befallen me.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha

FAQs

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

Moral causality: suffering is contemplated as a consequence of past harm (hiṃsā) done to others, urging accountability and repentance rather than self-justification.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha, devastated by the impending exile of Rāma, interprets his present calamity as the fruit of earlier wrongdoing.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-scrutiny and remorse—Daśaratha turns inward, acknowledging possible past violence and its ethical repercussions.