Valmiki Ramayana 2.41.5 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 41, Shloka 5

अयोध्यायाः शोकप्रकम्पः

Ayodhya’s Tremor of Grief and Omens

Devanagari script

कैकेय्या क्लिश्यमानेन राज्ञा सञ्चोदितो वनम्।परित्राता जनस्यास्य जगतः क्व नु गच्छति।।2.41.5।।

Transliteration

kaikeyyā kliśyamānena rājñā sañcodito vanam |

paritrātā janasya 'sya jagataḥ kva nu gacchati || 2.41.5 ||

Translation

Poussé par Kaikeyī, le roi, tourmenté, lui a ordonné d’aller en forêt. Où va-t-il maintenant, lui qui était le protecteur de ce peuple, de ce monde entier ?

Word by Word

• kaikeyyā: by Kaikeyī
• kaikeyyā: Karana/Agent-in-passive (करण/कर्तृ-तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaikeyī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• kliśyamānena: by the tormented
• kliśyamānena: Karana/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kliś (धातु)
• Form: Present passive participle (शानच् in passive sense), Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; qualifying 'rājñā'

• rājñā: by the king
• rājñā: Karana/Agent-in-passive (करण/कर्तृ-तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• sañcoditaḥ: ordered/impelled
• sañcoditaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam + cud (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; 'ordered/impelled' (passive) qualifying implied subject (Rāma)

• vanam: to the forest
• vanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; goal of motion

• paritrātā: protector
• paritrātā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pari + trā (धातु)
• Form: Agent noun (तृ/तारक-प्रत्यय), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• janasya: of the people
• janasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• asya: of this
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• jagataḥ: of the world
• jagataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• kva: where
• kva: Desha-prashna (देश-प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kva (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative indeclinable

• nu: now
• nu: Prashna-nipata (प्रश्न-निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nu (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative/emphatic particle

• gacchati: goes
• gacchati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: Verb, Present/लट्, Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

Context

Tormented by Kaikeyi, the king ordered him to go to the forest. Where is he, who happened to be the protector of the people of this world, going now?

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Kaikeyī
• the king (Daśaratha)
• vana (forest)

FAQs

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

It underscores rājadharma and loka-hitā: the ruler’s realm depends on a protector who upholds welfare and justice; exile of such a guardian is seen as a moral and civic calamity.

What is the narrative situation?

The queens describe the cause of exile—Kaikeyī’s pressure leading the king to command Rāma to the forest—and grieve its consequences.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s role as paritrātā—an ethical protector of society, not merely a private individual.