Valmiki Ramayana 2.63.36 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 63, Shloka 36

दशरथस्य शोकानुचिन्तनं शब्धवेधि-दोषस्मरणं च

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

Devanagari script

तां गिरं करुणां श्रुत्वा मम धर्मानुकाङ्क्षिणः।कराभ्यां सशरं चापं व्यथितस्यापतद्भुवि।।2.63.36।।

Transliteration

tāṃ giraṃ karuṇāṃ śrutvā mama dharmānukāṅkṣiṇaḥ | karābhyāṃ saśaraṃ cāpaṃ vyathitasyāpatad bhuvi || 2.63.36 ||

Translation

Als ich diesen kläglichen Schrei hörte und um Gerechtigkeit besorgt war, ließ ich, von Kummer erschüttert, meinen Bogen mit dem Pfeil aus den Händen auf den Boden fallen.

Word by Word

• ताम्: that
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; Accusative singular

• गिरम्: speech/words
• गिरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; Accusative singular

• करुणाम्: piteous
• करुणाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: करुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; Accusative singular, qualifying ‘गिरम्’

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (अव्ययभाव/पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया), absolutive/gerund ‘having heard’

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी एकवचन; Genitive singular

• धर्मानुकाङ्क्षिणः: of (me) desiring righteousness
• धर्मानुकाङ्क्षिणः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + अनु + काङ्क्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (धर्मम् अनुकाङ्क्षति इति); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन; Genitive singular qualifying ‘व्यथितस्य’ (of me, who was...)

• कराभ्याम्: from (my) two hands
• कराभ्याम्: Apādāna/Source (अपादान-भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया द्विवचन; Instrumental dual

• सशरम्: together with the arrow
• सशरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (सह-समास/स-प्रयोग: शरेण सह); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; Accusative singular qualifying ‘चापम्’

• चापम्: bow
• चापम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; Accusative singular

• व्यथितस्य: of (me) distressed
• व्यथितस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यथ् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग षष्ठी एकवचन; Genitive singular ‘of the distressed (me)’

• अपतत्: fell
• अपतत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतन-भूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Imperfect ‘fell’

• भुवि: on the ground
• भुवि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक: भुव्/भूमि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन; Locative singular

Context

On hearing the piteous voice the bow and arrow dropped from my (trembling) hands since I was keen on following the righteous path.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• bow
• arrow
• dharma

FAQs

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

Dharma is shown as immediate moral awakening: upon realizing possible wrongful harm, one must stop, reflect, and restrain further violence.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha recalls the moment he heard the wounded ascetic youth’s voice; the shock makes him drop his weapon.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Conscience and repentance: the king’s inner commitment to dharma surfaces as fear of having committed an unrighteous act.