Shloka 2.63.25

दशरथस्य शोकानुचिन्तनं शब्धवेधि-दोषस्मरणं च (Daśaratha’s grief, karmic reflection, and the remembered ‘śabdavedhī’ misdeed)

Devanagari script

ततोऽहं शरमुधृत्य दीप्तमाशीविषोपमम्।शब्दं प्रति गजप्रेप्सुरभिलक्ष्य त्वपातयम्।।2.63.25।।

Transliteration

athāndhakāre tv aśrauṣaṃ jale kumbhasya pūryataḥ |

acakṣur-viṣaye ghoṣaṃ vāraṇasyeva nardataḥ || 2.63.24 ||

Translation

Then, in the darkness, from a place beyond my sight, I heard the sound of a water-pitcher being filled—like the trumpeting of an elephant.

Context

Wishing to kill the elephant, I seized my arrow glowing like a venomous snake and aimed it towards the sound.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kausalyā
• river (nadī)
• pitcher (kumbha)
• elephant (vāraṇa)

FAQs

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

Dharma warns against action based on uncertainty: when perception is unclear (darkness, unseen source), restraint is safer than rashness.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha recalls a night by a river when he heard a sound resembling an elephant and misread the situation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reflective honesty—Daśaratha narrates the precise sensory mistake that led to later wrongdoing.