Shloka 2.64.1

शब्दवेध्य-अनर्थः, ऋषिशापः, दशरथस्य प्राणत्यागः (The Sound-Target Tragedy, the Sage’s Curse, and Dasaratha’s Death)

Devanagari script

वधमप्रतिरूपं तु महर्षेस्तस्य राघवः।विलपन्नेव धर्मात्मा कौसल्यां पुनरब्रवीत्।।।।

Transliteration

vadham apratirūpaṃ tu maharṣes tasya rāghavaḥ | vilapann eva dharmātmā kauśalyāṃ punar abravīt || 2.64.1 ||

Translation

Lamenting that grievously improper slaying of the great sage, the righteous scion of the Raghus (Daśaratha) spoke again to Kauśalyā.

Context

Grieving for having unfairly killed the great sage the rightenous descendant of the Raghus (Dasaratha) coutinued to tell Kausalya about it:

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kauśalyā
• Rāghava
• Maharṣi

FAQs

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

Dharma is measured by propriety and justice: the text explicitly marks the killing as “unbefitting,” reinforcing that even kings are bound by moral law.

What is the narrative situation?

The narration transitions into the next chapter as Daśaratha continues recounting his past wrongdoing to Kauśalyā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral self-scrutiny: Daśaratha’s righteousness is shown through his grief and willingness to confront his fault.