Valmiki Ramayana 2.65.25 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 65, Shloka 25

अयोध्याकाण्डे पञ्चषष्टितमः सर्गः — Daśaratha’s Death Discovered in the Palace

Morning Rites Turn to Lament

Devanagari script

ततस्सर्वा नरेन्द्रस्य कैकेयीप्रमुखाः स्त्रियः।रुदन्त्य श्शोकसन्तप्ता निपेतुर्गतचेतनाः।।।।

Transliteration

tatas sarvā narendrasya kaikeyīpramukhāḥ striyaḥ | rudantyaḥ śokasantaptā nipetur gatacetanāḥ ||

Translation

Da verloren alle Gemahlinnen des Königs—von Kaikeyī angeführt—vom Kummer verzehrt und weinend das Bewusstsein und stürzten zu Boden.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, काल/क्रम-वाचक (temporal adverb)

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: कर्तृ-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, बहुवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• नरेन्द्रस्य: of the king
• नरेन्द्रस्य: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• कैकेयी-प्रमुखाः: with Kaikeyi at the head
• कैकेयी-प्रमुखाः: कर्तृ-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कैकेयी (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (X as chief), प्रथमा, बहुवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• स्त्रियः: women (wives)
• स्त्रियः: कर्ता
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, बहुवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• रुदन्त्यः: weeping
• रुदन्त्यः: कर्तृ-विशेषण
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रुद् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle), प्रथमा, बहुवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• शोक-सन्तप्ताः: tormented by grief
• शोक-सन्तप्ताः: कर्तृ-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोक (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्तप्त (कृदन्त; √तप्, क्त; सम्-उपसर्ग)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास, क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त, प्रथमा, बहुवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• निपेतुः: fell down
• निपेतुः: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• गत-चेतनाः: senseless (having lost consciousness)
• गत-चेतनाः: कर्तृ-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत (कृदन्त; √गम्, क्त) + चेतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास, क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त, प्रथमा, बहुवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग

Context

Then all the wives of the king led by Kaikeyi, burning with grief and weeping, lost their senses and fell down.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha (implied)

FAQs

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

The verse implicitly warns that actions affecting dharma in the household and kingdom culminate in collective suffering; grief becomes indiscriminate, touching even those who were agents of painful decisions.

What is the narrative situation?

All the queens, including Kaikeyī, collapse in grief upon the king’s death.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Human vulnerability is emphasized more than virtue; the verse levels all characters under the force of bereavement.