Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 102, Shloka 1

पितृमरणश्रवणं जलक्रिया च

Hearing of Daśaratha’s death and the libation rites at Mandākinī

Devanagari script

तां श्रुत्वा करुणां वाचं पितुर्मरणसंहिताम्।राघवो भरते नोक्तां बभूव गतचेतनः।।।।

Transliteration

tāṃ śrutvā karuṇāṃ vācaṃ pitur maraṇasaṃhitām | rāghavo bharatena uktāṃ babhūva gatacetanaḥ || 2.102.1 ||

Translation

Hearing those pitiable words spoken by Bharata—words bound up with his father’s death—Rāghava became senseless.

Word by Word

• ताम्: that (speech)
• ताम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (absolutive/gerund) पूर्वकालः “having heard”

• करुणाम्: pitiable, compassionate
• करुणाम्: कर्म-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: करुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘वाचम्’ इति विशेष्येण सह

• वाचम्: speech, words
• वाचम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• पितुः: of (his) father
• पितुः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• मरणसंहिताम्: connected with death (death-announcing)
• मरणसंहिताम्: कर्म-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मरण (प्रातिपदिक) + संहिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः तत्पुरुषः: मरणेन संहिता (death-connected); स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘वाचम्’ इति विशेष्येण सह

• राघवः: Raghava (Rama)
• राघवः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• भरतेन: by Bharata
• भरतेन: कर्ता (agent in passive sense with ‘उक्ताम्’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• उक्ताम्: spoken, uttered
• उक्ताम्: कर्म-विशेषण
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘वाचम्’ इत्यर्थे

• बभूव: became
• बभूव: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• गतचेतनः: one whose consciousness had gone; unconscious
• गतचेतनः: कर्ता-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत (कृदन्त from गम्) + चेतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः बहुव्रीहिः: यस्य चेतना गता; पुल्लिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘राघवः’ इति विशेष्येण सह

Context

Having heard the words of Bharata regarding the death of his father, Rama became unconscious.

Characters & Entities

• Rama (Rāghava)
• Bharata
• Daśaratha

FAQs

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

Even the dharma-steady experience overpowering grief; the epic validates human emotion while preparing the ground for dharmic action afterward.

What is the narrative situation?

Immediately after Bharata reports Daśaratha’s death, Rama is struck by shock and loses consciousness.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s profound filial sensitivity—his love and respect for his father are shown through the intensity of his response.