Shloka 16

अयोध्याकाण्डे द्विषष्टितमः सर्गः

Kausalyā consoles Daśaratha; grief, remorse, and nightfall

Devanagari script

शक्य आपतित स्सोढुं प्रहारो रिपुहस्ततः।सोढुंमापतितश्शोकस्सुसूक्ष्मोऽपि न शक्यते।।।।

Transliteration

śakya āpatitas soḍhuṃ prahāro ripu-hastataḥ | soḍhum āpatitaś śokas susūkṣmo 'pi na śakyate ||

Translation

Einen plötzlichen Schlag aus der Hand des Feindes kann man ertragen; doch plötzlichen Kummer—so fein er auch sei—kann man nicht tragen.

Word by Word

• śakyaḥ: possible
• śakyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative/प्रथमा), Eka-vacana (Singular/एकवचन)

• āpatitaḥ: suddenly fallen, occurred
• āpatitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-√pat (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle (Past passive participle/क्त-कृदन्त), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana; sense: 'fallen/occurred'

• soḍhum: to endure
• soḍhum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sah (धातु) + tumun (तुमुन्)
• Form: Tumun-anta infinitive (Infinitive/तुमुनन्त), meaning 'to endure/bear'

• prahāraḥ: a blow, strike
• prahāraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prahāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana

• ripu-hastataḥ: from the enemy's hand
• ripu-hastataḥ: Apādāna (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ripu (प्रातिपदिक) + hasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pañcamī vibhakti (Ablative/पञ्चमी), Eka-vacana; compound: ripu-hasta (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'enemy's hand') + -taḥ (ablative ending)

• soḍhum: to endure
• soḍhum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sah (धातु) + tumun (तुमुन्)
• Form: Tumun-anta infinitive (Infinitive/तुमुनन्त)

• āpatitaḥ: fallen upon, arisen
• āpatitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-√pat (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana; qualifying 'śokaḥ'

• śokaḥ: grief
• śokaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śoka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana

• su-sūkṣmaḥ: very subtle, extremely slight
• su-sūkṣmaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय) + sūkṣma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana; karmadhāraya-like intensification with prefix su- ('very/subtle')

• api: even, though
• api: Sambandha (Particle relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle (emphatic/concessive)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; negation particle (निषेध)

• śakyate: is possible, can be endured
• śakyate: Kriyā (Predicate action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śak (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ lakāra (Present/लट्), Prathama puruṣa (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), Eka-vacana; Ātmanepada passive-like usage: 'is possible/can be'

Context

The king (Dasaratha) tormentor of enemies, for a while, lost his consciousness, his senses bewildered. After a long time he regained his senses.

Characters & Entities

• Kausalyā
• Daśaratha

FAQs

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

It recognizes truthful human limits: dharma is not denial of suffering; compassion begins with admitting that inner pain can be harder than physical injury.

What is the narrative situation?

Kausalyā speaks to Daśaratha, trying to articulate the nature of grief as he collapses under Rāma’s separation and guilt.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Kausalyā’s empathy and emotional intelligence—she validates suffering rather than dismissing it.