Valmiki Ramayana 2.63.1: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 63, Shloka 1

दशरथस्य शोकानुचिन्तनं शब्धवेधि-दोषस्मरणं च

Daśaratha’s grief, karmic reflection, and the remembered ‘śabdavedhī’ misdeed

Devanagari script

प्रतिबुद्धो मुहूर्तेन शोकोपहतचेतनः।अथ राजा दशरथस्सचिन्तामभ्यपद्यत।।2.63.1।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.63.1

Transliteration

pratibuddho muhūrtena śokopahata-cetanaḥ |

atha rājā daśarathaḥ sa cintām abhyapadyata ||

Translation

Ranimé au bout d’un instant, l’esprit terrassé par le chagrin, le roi Daśaratha retomba dans une méditation anxieuse.

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Word by Word

• pratibuddhaḥ: awakened
• pratibuddhaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prati-√budh (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana; 'awakened'

• muhūrtena: in a moment
• muhūrtena: Kāla-karaṇa (Time measure/काल-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muhūrta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Eka-vacana

• śoka-upahata-cetanaḥ: whose mind was afflicted by grief
• śoka-upahata-cetanaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śoka (प्रातिपदिक) + upahata (कृदन्त; upa-√han + kta) + cetana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana; bahuvrīhi: 'whose consciousness is struck by grief'

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; discourse particle (sequence)

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana

• daśarathaḥ: Dasaratha
• daśarathaḥ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśaratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana; pronoun

• cintām: anxiety, worry
• cintām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cintā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Eka-vacana

• abhyapadyata: entered upon, fell into
• abhyapadyata: Kriyā (Predicate action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√pad (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (Imperfect/लङ्), Prathama puruṣa, Eka-vacana; Ātmanepada

Context

Waking up in a moment tormented with grief, the king began to ponder once again.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha

FAQs

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

The verse signals karmic moral causality: intense suffering drives introspection, preparing the disclosure of past wrongdoing and its ethical consequences.

What is the narrative situation?

After being overwhelmed, Daśaratha regains awareness briefly and begins to brood again, leading into the recollection of his earlier sin.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral reflection—turning inward to examine causes and responsibility rather than blaming others.