Valmiki Ramayana 2.41.1: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 41, Shloka 1

अयोध्यायाः शोकप्रकम्पः

Ayodhya’s Tremor of Grief and Omens

Setting: Ayodhyā palace inner apartments (antaḥpura)Places named: Ayodhyā (implied)Moment of departure from palace toward exile

Devanagari script

तस्मिन्स्तु पुरुषव्याघ्रे विनिर्याति कृताञ्जलौ ।

आर्तशब्दोऽहि सञ्जज्ञे स्त्रीणामन्तःपुरे महान् ॥१॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.41.1

Transliteration

tasmins tu puruṣavyāghre viniryāti kṛtāñjalau |

ārtaśabdo hi sañjajñe strīṇām antaḥpure mahān ||1||

Translation

Als jener Tiger unter den Männern, die Hände ehrfürchtig gefaltet, aufbrach, erhob sich im inneren Palastgemach der Frauen ein großer Schrei des Schmerzes.

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Word by Word

• tasmin: when/while in that (situation) / in him
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)

• tu: but/then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable particle (निपात), adversative/emphatic
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)

• puruṣavyāghre: in the best of men
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa + vyāghra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; compound: puruṣa-vyāghra = tiger among men; in apposition with 'tasmin'
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• viniryāti: goes out / departs
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + nir + yā (धातु)
• Form: Verb (तिङन्त), Present/लट्, Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• kṛtāñjalau: with folded hands
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta + añjali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; compound: kṛta-añjali = with folded palms; qualifying the one referred to by 'tasmin/puruṣavyāghre'
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• ārtaśabdaḥ: a distress-cry
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārta + śabda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; compound: ārta-śabda = cry of distress
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• hi: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable particle (निपात), causal/emphatic
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)

• sañjajñe: arose
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + jan (धातु)
• Form: Verb (तिङन्त), Perfect/लिट्, Ātmanepada, 3rd person, Singular
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• strīṇām: of the women
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)

• antaḥpure: in the inner palace
• Type: Noun
• Root: antaḥpura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; compound: antaḥ-pura = inner apartments
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• mahān: great/loud
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; qualifying 'ārtaśabdaḥ'
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

Sandhi Notes

• tasminstu = tasmin + tu
• ārtaśabdo'hi = ārtaśabdaḥ + hi
• strīṇāmantaḥpure = strīṇām + antaḥpure

Context

When Rama, the foremost men, was departing with folded palms there arose a huge cry of distress from the inner apartment of ladies.

The teaching

The righteous may depart with humility, yet society feels the cost of dharma; compassion and duty coexist.

Duties in tension

• Rāma’s duty to uphold father’s word vs palace women’s desire to keep him
• Private affection vs public dharma

Ethical theme

Duty vs attachment (tragic dharma)

How it resolves

Dharma upheld despite collective grief

For your practice

Contemplate compassionate detachment: honor grief without letting it obstruct dharmic action; cultivate reverence (añjali) in transitions.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Wailing, heart-rending, reverent

Themes

• Itihasa
• Dharma
• Separation
• Public Sorrow
• Royal Household

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• women of the palace (antaḥpura)

FAQs

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

Dharma is shown indirectly: even as Rāma departs in disciplined reverence, society feels the cost of righteousness—duty can bring collective sorrow.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma leaves the palace; the women of the inner quarters cry out in grief at the separation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Composure and humility: Rāma’s folded palms underscore respectful, self-governed conduct even at a turning point.