Valmiki Ramayana 2.63.19: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 63, Shloka 19

दशरथस्य शोकानुचिन्तनं शब्धवेधि-दोषस्मरणं च

Daśaratha’s grief, karmic reflection, and the remembered ‘śabdavedhī’ misdeed

Devanagari script

पाण्डुरारुणवर्णानि स्रोतांसि विमलान्यपि ।

सुस्रुवुर्गिरिधातुभ्यस्सभस्मानि भुजङ्गवत् ॥१९॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.63.19

Transliteration

pāṇḍurāruṇa-varṇāni srotāṃsi vimalāny api |

susruvur giri-dhātubhyaḥ sa-bhasmāni bhujaṅgavat ||19||

Translation

नदियों का पानी साफ था, लेकिन पहाड़ की मिट्टी और पत्थर की वजह से उसका रंग बदल गया। कभी सफेद, कभी लाल दिखने लगा। बिल्कुल साँप की तरह सीधा जा रहा था, जैसे उसमें राख मिल गई हो।

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Word by Word

• pāṇḍurāruṇa-varṇāni: of pale and reddish color
• pāṇḍurāruṇa-varṇāni: Kartā-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāṇḍura (प्रातिपदिक) + aruṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + varṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya: पाण्डुरश्च अरुणश्च (यः) वर्णः तानि; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifying srotāṃsi

• srotāṃsi: streams/flows
• srotāṃsi: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: srotas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vimalāni: clear/pure
• vimalāni: Kartā-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vimala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifying srotāṃsi

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (सम्भावना/अपि = ‘even/also’)

• susruvuḥ: flowed
• susruvuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sru (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• giri-dhātubhyaḥ: from the mountain-minerals/ores
• giri-dhātubhyaḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: giri (प्रातिपदिक) + dhātu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी): गिरेः धातुभ्यः; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• sa-bhasmāni: mixed with ash
• sa-bhasmāni: Kartā-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ ‘with’) + bhasman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘with ash’; qualifying srotāṃsi

• bhujaṅgavat: like a serpent
• bhujaṅgavat: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhujaṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (तद्धित)
• Form: Simile adverb (वत्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययप्राय)

Context

Although pure, the rapidly flowing water from the mountains mixed with the minerals in the soil turned white and red in colour and flowed like a serpent.

Characters & Entities

• Serpent (bhujaṅga) (simile)

FAQs

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

Dharma requires discernment: what seems pure can be altered by unseen mixtures—an ethical reminder to verify before acting, not to rely on surface impressions.

What is the narrative situation?

Rains swell mountain runoffs; minerals tint the waters, creating striking colors and serpentine flows.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudence—careful judgment in uncertain conditions, a virtue Daśaratha will later recognize he failed to uphold.