Valmiki Ramayana 2.63.20: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 63, Shloka 20

दशरथस्य शोकानुचिन्तनं शब्धवेधि-दोषस्मरणं च

Daśaratha’s grief, karmic reflection, and the remembered ‘śabdavedhī’ misdeed

Devanagari script

आकुलारुण तोयानि स्रोतांसि विमलान्यपि ।

उन्मार्गजलवाहिनी बभूवुर्जलदागमे ॥२०॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.63.20

Transliteration

ākulāruṇa-toyāni srotāṃsi vimalāny api |

unmārga-jala-vāhinī babhūvur jaladāgame ||20||

Translation

Beim Heranziehen der Regenwolken wurden selbst klare Bäche trüb und rötlich vom aufgewühlten Erdreich und führten das Wasser in unregelmäßigen Rinnen aus dem Bett heraus.

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Word by Word

• ākulāruṇa-toyāni: having turbid reddish water
• ākulāruṇa-toyāni: Kartā-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ākula (प्रातिपदिक) + aruṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + toya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya: आकुलं च अरुणं च तोयं येषाम्; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifying srotāṃsi

• srotāṃsi: streams
• srotāṃsi: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: srotas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vimalāni: clear/pure
• vimalāni: Kartā-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vimala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• api: even/though
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (अपि = ‘even/though’)

• unmārga-jala-vāhinī: flowing off-course in many channels
• unmārga-jala-vāhinī: Kartā-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: unmārga (प्रातिपदिक) + jala (प्रातिपदिक) + vāhinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: उन्मार्गेण जलं वहन्ती; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective (collective sense) of srotāṃsi

• babhūvuḥ: became
• babhūvuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• jaladāgame: at the advent of the rainy season
• jaladāgame: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jalada (प्रातिपदिक) + āgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: जलदानाम् आगमे; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

Context

The streams that were pure, mixed with red soil flowed red, deviating from their natural course.

FAQs

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

Dharma is staying ‘on the right course’: when forces disturb clarity, one must guard against deviation—an image for moral drift under passion or haste.

What is the narrative situation?

With monsoon rains, streams turn reddish and overflow, running in altered directions rather than their usual channels.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-control (indriya-nigraha): without it, like waters leaving their course, a person can be driven into harmful actions.