Shloka 2.63.51

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

Devanagari script

ताम्यमानस्स मां कृच्छ्रादुवाच परमार्तवत्।सीदमानो विवृत्ताङ्गो वेष्टमानो गतः क्षयम्।।2.63.51।।

Transliteration

tāmyamānaḥ sa māṃ kṛcchrād uvāca paramārtavat | sīdamāno vivṛttāṅgo veṣṭamāno gataḥ kṣayam || 2.63.51 ||

Translation

Tormented and sinking toward death—his limbs twisting and writhing—he spoke to me with extreme anguish, and only with great difficulty.

Context

Suffering from excruciating pain, sinking with his limbs twisting and writhing and plunging into death and destruction, with intense agony he uttered the following words with great difficulty:

FAQs

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

The verse foregrounds the moral weight of violence and its consequences: suffering arises when a grievous harm has occurred, even if unintended—preparing the ground for the dharmic reflection on accountability.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha recalls the wounded ascetic youth, struck by an arrow, writhing on the brink of death, speaking with difficulty.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Truthful witnessing (satya) and remorse: Daśaratha reports the scene plainly, without minimizing the horror of what happened.