Shloka 10

कौसल्याविलापः

Kausalya’s Lament and Ethical Analogies on Kingship

Devanagari script

यत्त्वयाऽकरुणं कर्म व्यपोह्य मम बान्धवाः।निरस्ताः परिधावन्ति सुखार्हाः कृपणा वने।।2.61.10।।

Transliteration

yat tvayā 'karuṇaṃ karma vyapohya mama bāndhavāḥ |

nirastāḥ paridhāvanti sukhārhāḥ kṛpaṇā vane ||

Translation

तुम्हारे द्वारा किए गए उस निर्दयी कर्म के कारण मेरे बान्धव—जो सुख के अधिकारी थे—निकाले जाकर अब वन में दीन होकर भटक रहे हैं।

Word by Word

• यत्: since/that
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय (relative particle) = 'since/that'

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग-सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• अकरुणम्: merciless
• अकरुणम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् for कर्म

• कर्म: act/deed
• कर्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• व्यपोह्य: having cast away
• व्यपोह्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + अप + ऊह्/ऊह (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund), पूर्वकाल; अर्थः—अपसार्य/निरस्य (having cast away)

• मम: my
• मम: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बान्धवाः: relatives
• बान्धवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बान्धव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• निरस्ताः: banished/cast out
• निरस्ताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + अस् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि (past passive participle)

• परिधावन्ति: run about
• परिधावन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + धाव् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• सुखार्हाः: deserving comfort
• सुखार्हाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख + अर्ह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—सुखम् अर्हन्ति ये (deserving happiness)

• कृपणाः: wretched
• कृपणाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृपण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् for बान्धवाः

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

Context

(O king) It is because of your heartless action, my Rama and my relatives who deserve to enjoy pleasures at this age have been banished and are miserably wandering in wilderness.

Characters & Entities

• Kauśalyā
• Daśaratha
• forest (vana)
• Rāma (implied among ‘kinsmen’)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes compassionate kingship and moral accountability: a ruler’s actions must not unjustly inflict suffering on the innocent.

What is the narrative situation?

Kauśalyā confronts Daśaratha after Rāma’s exile, blaming the king’s decision for the family’s suffering.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Kauśalyā’s moral clarity and protective love—she speaks bluntly against cruelty and negligence of duty.