Valmiki Ramayana 2.64.21 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 64, Shloka 21

शब्दवेध्य-अनर्थः, ऋषिशापः, दशरथस्य प्राणत्यागः

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

Devanagari script

स तच्च्रुत्वा वचः क्रूरं मयोक्तमघशंसिना।नाशकत्तीव्रमायासमकर्तुं भगवानृषिः।।।।

Transliteration

sa tac chrutvā vacaḥ krūraṃ mayoktam aghaśaṃsinā |

nāśakat tīvram āyāsam akartuṃ bhagavān ṛṣiḥ ||

Translation

Als der ehrwürdige Rishi jene grausamen Worte hörte, die ich, ein Bekenner sündiger Tat, gesprochen hatte, vermochte er den Ansturm tiefster Qual nicht zu zügeln.

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Kartṛ (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma; Pumliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma used adjectivally; Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; qualifies 'vacaḥ' (collective)

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय, अव्ययकृदन्त)

• vacaḥ: words/speech
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; here object of hearing

• krūram: cruel
• krūram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: krūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; agrees with 'vacaḥ'

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Kartṛ (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma; Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana

• uktam: spoken
• uktam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Kta PPP (क्त); Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; agrees with 'vacaḥ' (sense: 'uttered')

• aghaśaṃsinā: by (me) who confessed a sin
• aghaśaṃsinā: Kartṛ (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: agha-śaṃsin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: agha + śaṃsin ('one who tells/declares sin'); Pumliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; instrumental of agent/attribute referring to 'mayā' (I, the sinful-deed-declaring one)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध)

• aśakat: was able
• aśakat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śak (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (लङ्, imperfect/past), Prathama puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• tīvram: intense
• tīvram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tīvra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; qualifies 'āyāsam'

• āyāsam: anguish/strain
• āyāsam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• akartum: not to do (i.e., to refrain)
• akartum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्-प्रत्यय) with privative a-; expresses purpose/complement of ability

• bhagavān: venerable
• bhagavān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; honorific epithet of 'ṛṣiḥ'

• ṛṣiḥ: sage
• ṛṣiḥ: Kartṛ (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

Context

The venerable sage heard my cruel words about the sinful act and was not able to seriously react. (He was stunned).

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Ṛṣi (sage)

FAQs

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

Dharma recognizes the real human cost of wrongdoing: truth must be spoken, but it also brings rightful grief and consequence.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha’s confession reaches the sage, who is overwhelmed and momentarily unable to contain his distress.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral seriousness: the sage’s reaction shows that harm to an innocent is not a light matter, even if accidental.