Shloka 112

पम्पा

तीर-वर्णनम् / Rama’s Lament at Pampa and the Approach to Rishyamuka

Devanagari script

किं नु वक्ष्यामि कौसल्यामयोध्यायां नृपात्मज।क्व सा स्नुषेति पृच्छन्तीं कथं चापि तु मनस्विनीम्।।।।

Transliteration

kiṃ nu vakṣyāmi kausalyām ayodhyāyāṃ nṛpātmaja | kva sā snuṣeti pṛcchantīṃ kathaṃ cāpi tu manasvinīm ||

Translation

O Prinz, was soll ich der hochgesinnten Kausalyā in Ayodhyā sagen, wenn sie fragt: „Wo ist jene Schwiegertochter?“—und wie könnte ich ihr überhaupt antworten?

Word by Word

किम्what

नुindeed, then

वक्ष्यामिshall I say/tell

कौसल्याम्to Kausalyā

अयोध्यायाम्in Ayodhyā

नृप-आत्मजO prince (king’s son)

क्वwhere

साshe/that (daughter-in-law)

स्नुषाdaughter-in-law

इतिthus

पृच्छन्तीम्(her) asking/inquiring

कथम्how

चand

अपिalso, even

तुbut

मनस्विनीम्high-minded, resolute

Context

'O Prince, what can I tell the highminded Kausalya at Ayodhya when she asks the whereabouts of her daughter-in-law'?

Characters & Entities

Kausalya

Ayodhya

Sita (as snuṣā—daughter-in-law)

Lakshmana (addressed as nṛpātmaja in some interpretive traditions; here a direct address)

FAQs

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

Dharma involves truthfulness and duty toward family elders; Rama anticipates the morally painful necessity of answering Kausalya honestly while bearing grief responsibly.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama imagines returning (or being questioned) in Ayodhya and facing Kausalya’s inquiry about Sita’s whereabouts.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s sensitivity to familial obligations and reverence toward Kausalya’s noble character.