Valmiki Ramayana 2.39.4 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 39, Shloka 4

एकोनचत्वारिंशः सर्गः

Dasaratha’s Lament, Sumantra’s Commission, and Sita’s Vow of Marital Dharma

Devanagari script

मन्ये खलु मया पूर्वं विवत्सा बहवःकृताः।प्राणिनो हिंसिता वापि तस्मादिदमुपस्थितम्।।2.39.4।।

Transliteration

manye khalu mayā pūrvaṃ vivatsā bahavaḥ kṛtāḥ | prāṇino hiṃsitā vāpi tasmād idam upasthitam || 2.39.4 ||

Translation

“મને લાગે છે કે પૂર્વે મેં અનેક જીવોને સંતાનવિહોણા કર્યા હશે, અથવા પ્રાણીઓનું હિંસન કર્યું હશે; તેથી જ આ દુર્ભાગ્ય મને આવ્યું છે.”

Word by Word

• मन्ये: I think/deem
• मन्ये: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन

• खलु: indeed
• खलु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle ‘indeed/surely’)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उभयलिङ्ग/सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग/क्रियाविशेषण (adverb ‘formerly/in the past’)

• विवत्साः: bereft of children
• विवत्साः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘वत्स-रहित’ (deprived of calves/children)

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कृताः: were made/reduced
• कृताः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense ‘were made’)

• प्राणिनः: living beings
• प्राणिनः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• हिंसिताः: were harmed
• हिंसिताः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हिंस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (disjunctive ‘or’)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-भाव (particle ‘also/even’)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-रूपेण हेत्वर्थे अव्ययीभूत (ablatival adverb ‘therefore/from that’)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उपस्थितम्: has befallen
• उपस्थितम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘has come to pass/befallen’

Context

If I have been harsh towards you, on account of our living together or through ignorance may you forgive me. I (now) seek leave of you all.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha

FAQs

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

Moral causality: suffering is contemplated as a consequence of past harm (hiṃsā) done to others, urging accountability and repentance rather than self-justification.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha, devastated by the impending exile of Rāma, interprets his present calamity as the fruit of earlier wrongdoing.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-scrutiny and remorse—Daśaratha turns inward, acknowledging possible past violence and its ethical repercussions.