Shloka 2.14.18

सत्यपाशः — Kaikeyi’s Demand and the Noose of the King’s Promise

Devanagari script

न च शक्तोऽस्म्यहं द्रष्टुं दृष्ट्वा पूर्वं तथासुखम्।हतहर्षं निरानन्दं पुनर्जनमवाङ्मुखम्।।।।

Transliteration

na ca śakto ’smy ahaṃ draṣṭuṃ dṛṣṭvā pūrvaṃ tathā-sukham |

hata-harṣaṃ nirānandaṃ punar janam avāṅmukham ||

Translation

Having once seen the people so happy before, I am not able to see them again—cheerless, joyless, with faces cast down.

Context

Having seen people formerly enjoying happiness, I cannot see them again with their downcast, cheerless faces devoid of all happiness.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī
• Ayodhyā (implied populace)

FAQs

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

A king’s dharma includes safeguarding the welfare and morale of his people; Daśaratha’s anguish reflects the ethical burden of decisions that plunge society into sorrow.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha anticipates the public despair that will follow if Rāma’s coronation is thwarted and speaks of his inability to witness that collective suffering.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Empathy and responsibility: Daśaratha feels the people’s emotional state as part of his royal duty.