Shloka 2.13.11

अयोध्याकाण्डे त्रयोदशः सर्गः | Kaikeyi Presses the Boons; Dasaratha’s Lament and Collapse

Devanagari script

सुखानामुचितस्यैव दुःखैरनुचितस्य च।दुखं नामानुपश्येयं कथं रामस्य धीमतः।।।।

Transliteration

yadi duḥkham akṛtvā’dya mama saṅkramaṇaṃ bhavet, aduḥkhārhasya rāmasya tataḥ sukham avāpnuyām.

Translation

If death were to come to me today without my having caused sorrow to Rāma—who deserves no sorrow—then from that I would attain peace.

Context

Rama deserves happiness not suffering. How can I bear to see such a sagacious Rama undergoing distress?

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī
• Rāma
• Death (saṅkramaṇa)

FAQs

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

The king values ‘not harming the innocent’ over his own life; dharma is portrayed as the refusal to be the cause of unjust suffering.

What is the narrative situation?

Overwhelmed, Daśaratha expresses that dying now would be preferable to living while inflicting undeserved pain on Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Daśaratha’s conscience (moral self-judgment): he measures his life’s worth by whether he protects the dharmic son from undeserved suffering.