Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 79
द्वादशः सर्गः — Kaikeyi’s Boons and Dasaratha’s Moral Collapse
Ayodhya Kanda 12
अहो दुःखमहो कृच्छ्रं यत्र वाचः क्षमे तव।दुःखमेवंविधं प्राप्तं पुराकृतमिवाशुभम्।।।।
aho duḥkham aho kṛcchraṁ yatra vācaḥ kṣame tava | duḥkham evaṁvidhaṁ prāptaṁ purākṛtam ivāśubham ||
¡Ay, qué dolor, qué dura prueba, tener que soportar tus palabras! Tal sufrimiento ha caído sobre mí, como si fuera el fruto de alguna antigua mala acción.
What suffering What a calamity that I am made to put up with your words. I am subject to this suffering may be as expiation for the sin formerly committed.
FAQs
It reflects the dharmic idea that suffering can be interpreted through karma, encouraging moral introspection rather than mere blame.
Daśaratha laments the pain caused by Kaikeyī’s harsh insistence and frames it as karmic retribution.
Moral self-reflection is emphasized: he looks inward, considering past wrongdoing as a cause of present misery.