Valmiki Ramayana 2.63.36: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 63, Shloka 36

दशरथस्य शोकानुचिन्तनं शब्धवेधि-दोषस्मरणं च

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

Devanagari script

तां गिरं करुणां श्रुत्वा मम धर्मानुकाङ्क्षिणः।कराभ्यां सशरं चापं व्यथितस्यापतद्भुवि।।2.63.36।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.63.36

Transliteration

tāṃ giraṃ karuṇāṃ śrutvā mama dharmānukāṅkṣiṇaḥ | karābhyāṃ saśaraṃ cāpaṃ vyathitasyāpatad bhuvi || 2.63.36 ||

Translation

Entendant ce cri pitoyable, et soucieux de droiture, secoué par la détresse, je laissai tomber de mes mains mon arc et la flèche sur le sol.

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Word by Word

• ताम्: that
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; Accusative singular

• गिरम्: speech/words
• गिरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; Accusative singular

• करुणाम्: piteous
• करुणाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: करुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; Accusative singular, qualifying ‘गिरम्’

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (अव्ययभाव/पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया), absolutive/gerund ‘having heard’

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी एकवचन; Genitive singular

• धर्मानुकाङ्क्षिणः: of (me) desiring righteousness
• धर्मानुकाङ्क्षिणः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + अनु + काङ्क्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (धर्मम् अनुकाङ्क्षति इति); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन; Genitive singular qualifying ‘व्यथितस्य’ (of me, who was...)

• कराभ्याम्: from (my) two hands
• कराभ्याम्: Apādāna/Source (अपादान-भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया द्विवचन; Instrumental dual

• सशरम्: together with the arrow
• सशरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (सह-समास/स-प्रयोग: शरेण सह); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; Accusative singular qualifying ‘चापम्’

• चापम्: bow
• चापम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; Accusative singular

• व्यथितस्य: of (me) distressed
• व्यथितस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यथ् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग षष्ठी एकवचन; Genitive singular ‘of the distressed (me)’

• अपतत्: fell
• अपतत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतन-भूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Imperfect ‘fell’

• भुवि: on the ground
• भुवि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक: भुव्/भूमि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन; Locative singular

Context

On hearing the piteous voice the bow and arrow dropped from my (trembling) hands since I was keen on following the righteous path.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• bow
• arrow
• dharma

FAQs

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

Dharma is shown as immediate moral awakening: upon realizing possible wrongful harm, one must stop, reflect, and restrain further violence.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha recalls the moment he heard the wounded ascetic youth’s voice; the shock makes him drop his weapon.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Conscience and repentance: the king’s inner commitment to dharma surfaces as fear of having committed an unrighteous act.