Valmiki Ramayana 2.64.15 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 64, Shloka 15

शब्दवेध्य-अनर्थः, ऋषिशापः, दशरथस्य प्राणत्यागः

The Sound-Target Tragedy, the Sage’s Curse, and Dasaratha’s Death

Devanagari script

ततश्श्रुतो मया शब्दो जले कुम्भस्य पूर्यतः।द्विपोऽयमिति मत्वाऽयं बाणेनाभिहतो मया।।।।

Transliteration

tataḥ śruto mayā śabdo jale kumbhasya pūryataḥ | dvipo 'yam iti matvā 'yaṃ bāṇenābhihato mayā ||

Translation

Dann hörte ich das Geräusch eines Kruges, der sich im Fluss mit Wasser füllte; in dem Glauben: »Das ist ein Elefant«, traf ich ihn mit einem Pfeil.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb of time)

• श्रुतः: was heard
• श्रुतः: Kriya (क्रिया as participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘was heard’ (शब्दः)

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr-karana (कर्तृ-करण/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• शब्दः: sound
• शब्दः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• जले: in the water
• जले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन

• कुम्भस्य: of a pot
• कुम्भस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, एकवचन

• पूर्यतः: while (it) was being filled
• पूर्यतः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध; attendant circumstance)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्यत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; पूर् धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि शतृ (Passive present participle); षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; ‘while being filled’ (कुम्भस्य)

• द्विपः: an elephant
• द्विपः: Pratijna (प्रत्यय/identification)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अयम्: this (is)
• अयम्: Pratijna (identificand)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Vakyartha-marker (वाक्यार्थ-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक अव्यय (Quotative particle)

• मत्वा: having thought
• मत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु) → मत्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund); ‘having thought’

• अयम्: this one (he)
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of passive participle)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; (अत्र लक्ष्य-पुरुषः)

• बाणेन: with an arrow
• बाणेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, एकवचन

• अभिहतः: was struck
• अभिहतः: Kriya (क्रिया as participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + हन् (धातु) → अभिहत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘was struck’

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr-karana (कर्तृ-करण/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया, एकवचन

Context

There I heard the sound of a pot being filled with water and mistaking it to be an elephant's, shot an arrow.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• arrow (bāṇa)
• elephant (dvipa, mistaken identity)

FAQs

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

Dharma demands discernment before using force; acting on assumption (sound mistaken for elephant) makes violence ethically culpable even if unintended.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha explains the precise error: he shot at a sound, believing it to be an elephant.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Truthfulness in confession—he admits the mistaken judgment that caused the tragedy.