Valmiki Ramayana 2.41.10 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 41, Shloka 10

अयोध्यायाः शोकप्रकम्पः

Ayodhya’s Tremor of Grief and Omens

Devanagari script

व्यसृजन् कबलान्नागा गावो वत्सान्न पाययन्।पुत्रं प्रथमजं लब्ध्वा जननी नाभ्यनन्दत।।2.41.10।।

Transliteration

vyasṛjan kabalān nāgā gāvo vatsān na pāyayan |

putraṁ prathamajaṁ labdhvā jananī nābhyanandata ||

Translation

Les éléphants laissèrent tomber leurs bouchées ; les vaches ne laissèrent pas téter leurs veaux ; même les mères, ayant mis au monde leurs fils premiers-nés, ne trouvèrent aucune joie : tel était le poids de cet instant.

Word by Word

• vyasṛjan: let go/dropped
• vyasṛjan: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sṛj (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); उपसर्ग: वि- (vi-)

• kabalān: mouthfuls (of fodder)
• kabalān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kabala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• nāgāḥ: elephants
• nāgāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• gāvaḥ: cows
• gāvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• vatsān: calves
• vatsān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vatsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• pāyayan: made (them) drink/suckle
• pāyayan: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pā (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); णिच्-प्रत्यय (causative): 'caused to drink/suckle'

• putram: a son
• putram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• prathamajam: firstborn
• prathamajam: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prathamaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); समास: प्रथम + ज (जन्य) = 'first-born'

• labdhvā: having obtained
• labdhvā: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √labh (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund): 'having obtained/having got'

• jananī: the mother
• jananī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jananī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• abhyanandata: rejoiced/was pleased
• abhyanandata: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √nand (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Singular); उपसर्ग: अभि- (abhi-)

Context

Elephants dropped their morsel of food. Cows did not suckle their calves. Even the mothers were not pleased with their first-born sons.

Characters & Entities

• elephants
• cows
• mothers (jananī)

FAQs

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

The verse underscores how a dharmic crisis affects the whole realm: when righteousness is strained by injustice, even ordinary life loses its natural harmony.

What is the narrative situation?

As Rāma’s departure nears, unsettling signs appear in the kingdom—animals and people behave contrary to normal well-being.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Not a single character’s virtue, but the ideal of rājyadharma: the health of the kingdom mirrors the moral order.