Valmiki Ramayana 2.59.22: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 59, Shloka 22

एकोनषष्ठितमः सर्गः (Sarga 59): सुमन्त्रवाक्यं, अयोध्याविषादः, दाशरथिशोकसागरः

Spoken by King Daśaratha to SumantraSetting: Ayodhya (palace)

Devanagari script

कैकेय्या विनियुक्तेन पापाभिजनभावया ।

मया न मन्त्रकुशलैर्वृद्धैस्सह समर्थितम् ॥२२॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.59.22

Transliteration

kaikeyyā viniyuktena pāpābhijana-bhāvayā |

mayā na mantra-kuśalaiḥ vṛddhaiḥ saha samarthitam ||22||

Translation

कैकेयी ने मुझे यह काम पे लगाया। उसके इरादे और उसके रिश्ते, सब में पाप था। मैं ने बड़े बुज़ुर्गों से सलाह नहीं ली। जो लोग समझदार थे, उनसे पूछा ही नहीं।

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Word by Word

• kaikeyyā: by Kaikeyi
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaikeyī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Agent in passive sense)

• viniyuktena: having been incited
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi+ni+yuj (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); अर्थे: 'having been incited/appointed'
• Role: Karaṇa (करणम्/Instrumental cause)

• pāpābhijana-bhāvayā: of wicked lineage and intent
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + abhijana (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: 'of sinful lineage/disposition'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्/Qualifier of kaikeyyā)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• mayā: by me
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Agent)

• na: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle/निषेध-अव्यय)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)

• mantrakuśalaiḥ: with counsellors skilled in advice
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक) + kuśala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: 'skilled in counsel'); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)
• Role: Sahakārī (सहकारी/Associates)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• vṛddhaiḥ: with elders
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)
• Role: Sahakārī (सहकारी/Associates)

• saha: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अर्थक-अव्यय (adverbial particle: 'together with')
• Role: Sahārtha (सहार्थः/Comitative marker)

• samarthitam: was not endorsed / was not supported
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam+arth (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); अर्थे: 'approved/supported/consulted' (here: 'was not supported/endorsed')
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate participle)

Sandhi Notes

• मन्त्रकुशलैर्वृद्धैस्सह = मन्त्रकुशलैः + वृद्धैः + सह (विसर्ग-सन्धि: -ैः + व-)
• पापाभिजनभावया = पाप + अभिजन + भावया।

Context

Incited by Kaikeyi of sinful relations and sinful motive, I did not consult expert, elderly counsellers.

The teaching

A king must not act on private impulse; counsel with the wise is itself a limb of dharma.

Duties in tension

• Keeping a promised boon to Kaikeyī
• Rājadharma requiring deliberation with wise elders
• Protecting heir and public welfare

Ethical theme

Rājadharma / decision ethics

How it resolves

Self-reproach / acknowledgment of procedural dharma breach

For your practice

Encourages humility and confession (ātma-nivedana) as a step toward inner purification; warns against rajas-driven choices.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Bhayanaka (fear)

Mood

Self-reproach, tainted, anxious

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Ethics
• Kingship
• Poor counsel

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī

FAQs

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

Rajadharma requires deliberation and wise counsel; impulsive decisions under harmful influence violate the duty of a king to act prudently for the realm.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha laments that he acted under Kaikeyī’s pressure without consulting experienced elders.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The ideal virtue highlighted by contrast is prudence (vicāra) and reliance on wise counsel; Daśaratha admits his failure in it.