Valmiki Ramayana 2.18.11: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 18, Shloka 11

अष्टादशः सर्गः · Kaikeyī Discloses the Boons: Exile to Daṇḍaka and Bharata’s Consecration

Spoken by Rama to KaikeyiSetting: Ayodhyā (royal precincts; near the king’s chambers)

Devanagari script

कच्चिन्मया नापराद्धमज्ञानाद्येन मे पिता ।

कुपितस्तन्ममाचक्ष्व त्वं चैवैनं प्रसादय ॥११॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.18.11

Transliteration

kaccin mayā nāparāddham ajñānād yena me pitā |

kupitas tan mamācakṣva tvaṃ caivainaṃ prasādaya ||11||

Translation

क्या मैंने जान के भी कोई गलती कर दी, जिस्से पापा नाराज़ हो गए? मुझे बताओ क्या हुआ। और तुम खुद जाके उन्हे मनाना।

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Word by Word

• कच्चित्: is it possible?/I hope not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative particle: I hope/Is it?)
• Role: Sambandha (प्रश्न)

• मया: by me
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (कर्ता/करण), एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता; in passive sense)

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय
• Role: Sambandha (निषेध)

• अपराद्धम्: an offence (has been committed)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपराद्ध (प्रातिपदिक; √राध्/राध्? here √राध् with अप- prefix in sense 'offend', past passive participle)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भाववाचक-प्रयोगः (offence committed)
• Role: Karma (कर्म; implied)

• अज्ञानात्: out of ignorance
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान/हेतु), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (because of ignorance)
• Role: Hetu (हेतु)

• येन: by which (reason)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/हेतु), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (by which/for which reason)
• Role: Hetu (हेतु)

• मे: my
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (enclitic)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• पिता: father
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• कुपितः: angry
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुपित (प्रातिपदिक; √कुप् से क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पिता इति विशेषणम्
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• तत्: that (fact)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; (तत् = 'that matter')
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• मम: to me/of me
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• आचक्ष्व: tell
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• त्वम्: you
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• एव: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (indeed)
• Role: Sambandha (अवधारण)

• एनम्: him
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद्/इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; एनद्-आदेश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• प्रसादय: propitiate/please
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√सद् (धातु; causative sense in usage)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-अर्थः (to make pleased)
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

Sandhi Notes

• कच्चिन्मया = कच्चित् + मया
• नापराद्धम् = न + अपराद्धम्
• अज्ञानाद्येन = अज्ञानात् + येन
• कुपितस्तत् = कुपितः + तत्
• ममाचक्ष्व = मम + आचक्ष्व
• चैवैनम् = च + एव + एनम्

Context

Have I committed any offence unknowingly? Please tell me why my father is angry with me. You alone can pacify him.

The teaching

Even unintended harm should be owned with humility; restoring harmony with elders is itself dharma.

Duties in tension

• Filial duty to please and obey the father-king
• Personal uncertainty about unintended fault (ajñānāt aparādha) and the duty to rectify it

Ethical theme

Filial piety; reconciliation; accountability

How it resolves

Seeking mediation and reconciliation (prasādana)

For your practice

Cultivates humility, readiness to apologize, and active peacemaking—useful for daily self-audit (svādhyāya) and relational sādhana.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Apprehensive, penitent, tender

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Maryada
• Itihasa
• Filial duty
• Humility
• Self-examination

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha

FAQs

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

Rāma practices accountability: before blaming others, he examines whether he has violated duty, and seeks reconciliation with his father.

What is the narrative situation?

Seeing Daśaratha upset, Rāma asks Kaikeyī if he has unknowingly done anything that caused the king’s anger, and requests her help in calming him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Anukampā and vinaya: concern for the father’s well-being and humble readiness to correct oneself.