Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 2, Shloka 28

द्वितीयः सर्गः — श्लोकप्रादुर्भावः

The Manifestation of the Śloka

Devanagari script

पापात्मना कृतं कष्टं वैरग्रहणबुद्धिना ।यस्तादृशं चारुरवं क्रौञ्चं हन्यादकारणात् ।।1.2.28।।

Transliteration

pāpātmanā kṛtaṃ kaṣṭaṃ vairagrahaṇabuddhinā | yas tādṛśaṃ cāruravaṃ krauñcaṃ hanyād akāraṇāt ||1.2.28||

Translation

“A grievous wrong has been done by a sinful-minded man, bent on capture through hostility—who would, without cause, kill such a krauñca bird of so sweet a call?”

Word by Word

• पापात्मना: by the sinful-minded (one)
• पापात्मना: Karaṇa (करण/Agent-instrument in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (pāpaḥ ātmā yasya/ pāpātmā)

• कृतम्: was done
• कृतम्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘was done’ (agreeing with ‘कष्टम्’)

• कष्टम्: a cruel deed
• कष्टम्: Karma (कर्म/Thing done; subject of passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्म/कार्य (deed)

• वैरग्रहणबुद्धिना: with hostile intent to seize
• वैरग्रहणबुद्धिना: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैर + ग्रहण + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष; ‘with an intellect intent on hostile capture’

• यः: who (that man)
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of ‘हन्यात्’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• तादृशम्: such
• तादृशम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तादृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘क्रौञ्चम्’)

• चारुरवम्: sweet-voiced
• चारुरवम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चारु + रव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय; विशेषण

• क्रौञ्चम्: the krauñca bird
• क्रौञ्चम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of killing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रौञ्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• हन्यात्: might kill/should kill
• हन्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अकारणात्: without cause
• अकारणात्: Hetu-apādāna (हेतु/अपादान/Cause-absence)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेत्वभाव (without cause)

Context

The hunter killed the sweet-voiced krauncha without any cause. That sinful-minded one with hostile feeling of capturing it, had perpetrated this cruel act, he thought.

Characters & Entities

• Vālmīki
• krauñca (bird)

FAQs

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

Needless violence is adharma: killing without cause—especially of a harmless, beautiful creature—is condemned as a sinful act opposed to compassion and truth-sensitive conscience.

What is the narrative situation?

Vālmīki mentally revisits the riverbank tragedy and morally condemns the hunter’s act.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vālmīki’s compassion and ethical clarity—his heart responds to suffering with principled judgment.