Valmiki Ramayana 2.63.30: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 63, Shloka 30

दशरथस्य शोकानुचिन्तनं शब्धवेधि-दोषस्मरणं च

Daśaratha’s grief, karmic reflection, and the remembered ‘śabdavedhī’ misdeed

Devanagari script

ऋषेर्हिन्यस्तदण्डस्य वने वन्येन जीवतः।कथं नु शस्रेण वधो मद्विधस्य विधीयते।।2.63.30।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.63.30

Transliteration

ṛṣer hi nyasta-daṇḍasya vane vanyena jīvataḥ |

kathaṃ nu śastreṇa vadho mad-vidhasya vidhīyate || 2.63.30 ||

Translation

For I am an ascetic who has laid aside violence, living in the forest on forest fare—how, indeed, can the killing of one like me be carried out with a weapon?

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Word by Word

• jaṭā-bhāra-dharasya: of one bearing a mass of matted hair
• jaṭā-bhāra-dharasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jaṭā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāra (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: ‘bearing a load of matted hair’), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphasis)

• valkala-ajina-vāsasaḥ: of one wearing bark and antelope-skin garments
• valkala-ajina-vāsasaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: valkala (प्रातिपदिक) + ajina (प्रातिपदिक) + vāsas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (copulative: ‘bark and skin garments’), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन; (of one) wearing bark-and-antelope-skin clothing

• kaḥ: who?
• kaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• vadhena: by killing
• vadhena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन

• mama: of me, my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी एकवचन

• arthī: desirous, seeking
• arthī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: arthin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण (one who desires), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; कः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• syāt: could be
• syāt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘could be’

• kim: what?
• kim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; अत्र द्वितीया

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पार्थक निपात

• asya: of him
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी एकवचन

• apakṛtam: harm, wrong done
• apakṛtam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apa-√kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past participle used as noun: ‘harm done’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (what harm?)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया एकवचन

Context

'Renouncing violence I live the life of an ascetic on forest produce. Why should any one kill me with a weapon?

Characters & Entities

• forest (vana)

FAQs

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

Those who renounce violence deserve protection; dharma requires safeguarding the harmless, not endangering them through force or negligence.

What is the narrative situation?

The victim identifies himself as non-violent and questions the moral logic of being killed with a weapon.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Ahimsa (non-harming) and austerity—his life is portrayed as disciplined and innocent.