Shloka 15

कौशल्याविलापः

Kausalya’s Lament and the Vision of Rama’s Return

Devanagari script

कदासुमनसः कन्याद्विजातीनां फलानि च।प्रदिशन्तः पुरीं हृष्टाः करिष्यन्ति प्रदक्षिणम्।।।।

Transliteration

kadā sumanasaḥ kanyādvijātīnāṃ phalāni ca | pradiśantaḥ purīṃ hṛṣṭāḥ kariṣyanti pradakṣiṇam ||

Translation

Wann werden sie, voll Freude, den glückverheißenden Umgang um die Stadt vollziehen, während junge Mädchen und Brahmanen ihnen Blumen und Früchte darbringen?

Word by Word

• कदा: when?
• कदा: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (interrogative)

• सुमनसः: flowers
• सुमनसः: Karma (कर्म/Object given)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sumanas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (collective), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• कन्या-द्विजातीनाम्: of/for girls and brahmins
• कन्या-द्विजातीनाम्: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kanyā (प्रातिपदिक) + dvijāti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (कन्याश्च द्विजातयश्च)

• फलानि: fruits
• फलानि: Karma (कर्म/Object given)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• प्रदिशन्तः: while giving/offering
• प्रदिशन्तः: Karta (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√diś (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• पुरीम्: the city
• पुरीम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of circling)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• हृष्टाः: delighted
• हृष्टाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hṛṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक; √hṛṣ)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• करिष्यन्ति: will do
• करिष्यन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• प्रदक्षिणम्: circumambulation
• प्रदक्षिणम्: Karma (कर्म/Thing done)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pradakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (accusative of manner)

Context

When will I see them delightfully moving round the city with young brahmin girls offering them flowers and fruits.

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhyā (implied)
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• dvija (brāhmaṇas/twice-born)
• flowers (sumanas)
• fruits (phala)
• pradakṣiṇā (circumambulation)

FAQs

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

It reflects dharma as shared auspicious practice: community honor (flowers/fruits) and pradakṣiṇā symbolize reverence for righteous leadership and harmonious social participation.

What is the narrative situation?

Kausalyā imagines ceremonial स्वागत (welcome) rituals accompanying the brothers’ return, including public offerings and auspicious circling.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The brothers’ worthiness of honor (yaśas and dhārmic stature), shown by the community’s eager, respectful reception.