Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 33, Shloka 13

त्रयस्त्रिंशः सर्गः

Civic Lament and Rama’s Dutiful Approach to Daśaratha

Devanagari script

तस्मात्तस्योपघातेन प्रजाः परमपीडिताः।औदकानीव सत्त्वानि ग्रीष्मे सलिलसङ्क्षयात्।।।।

Transliteration

tasmāt tasyopaghātena prajāḥ paramapīḍitāḥ | audakānīva sattvāni grīṣme salilasaṅkṣayāt ||

Translation

इसलिए उनके (राम के) अपमान-आघात से प्रजा अत्यन्त पीड़ित है—जैसे ग्रीष्म में जल सूख जाने पर जलचर प्राणी व्याकुल हो उठते हैं।

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative adverbial form (तस्मात्): 'therefore/from that'

• tasya: of him (Rama)
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana

• upaghātena: by the injury/affliction
• upaghātena: Karaṇa/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upaghāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; instrumental of cause/means

• prajāḥ: subjects, people
• prajāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana

• paramapīḍitāḥ: greatly afflicted
• paramapīḍitāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + pīḍita (कृदन्त; √pīḍ पीड्)
• Form: Karmadhāraya: parama-pīḍitāḥ 'extremely tormented'; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; qualifying prajāḥ

• audakāni: aquatic
• audakāni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: audaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; qualifying sattvāni

• iva: like
• iva: Upamāna-marker (उपमान-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Upamā-avyaya (particle of comparison)

• sattvāni: creatures
• sattvāni: Karta (कर्ता; in simile)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā, Bahuvacana

• grīṣme: in summer
• grīṣme: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: grīṣma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana

• salila-saṅkṣayāt: from the drying up of water
• salila-saṅkṣayāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: salila (प्रातिपदिक) + saṅkṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: salila-saṅkṣaya 'depletion of water'; Puṃliṅga, Pañcamī (5th/पञ्चमी), Ekavacana; ablative of cause

Context

Therefore, people are deeply pained to see Rama afflicted. They look like aquatic creatures in summer when the water dries up.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• people (prajā)
• water (salila)

FAQs

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

Dharma is shown as interdependence between ruler and society: when the righteous center is harmed, the community’s well-being withers.

What is the narrative situation?

The citizens express how Rāma’s exile feels like a life-source removed, using a vivid ecological simile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s sustaining presence as a dhārmic figure—his virtue is portrayed as essential nourishment for public life.