Valmiki Ramayana 2.66.3: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 66, Shloka 3

अयोध्यायां शोकविलापः · Lamentation in Ayodhya after Daśaratha’s death

Spoken by Kausalya to KaikeyiSetting: Ayodhyā palace

Devanagari script

सकामा भव कैकेयि भुङ्क्ष्व राज्यमकण्टकम् ।

त्यक्त्वा राजानमेकाग्रा नृशंसे दुष्टचारिणि ॥३॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.66.3

Transliteration

sakāmā bhava kaikeyi bhuṅkṣva rājyam akaṇṭakam |

tyaktvā rājānam ekāgrā nṛśaṃse duṣṭacāriṇi ||3||

Translation

कैकेयी, अब खुश हो जाओ। राज्य ले लो, कोई दिक्कत नहीं। तूने राजा को छोड़ दिया, एक ही बात सोची है तूने। तूने बहुत बुरा किया, तूने गलत काम किया है।

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Word by Word

• kausalyā: Kausalya
• Type: Noun
• Root: kausalyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• bāṣpa-pūrṇa-akṣī: with eyes full of tears
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bāṣpa + pūrṇa + akṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi (बहुव्रीहि: 'whose eyes are full of tears'); Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular; qualifying 'kausalyā'
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Compound: Bahuvrihi

• vividhām: in various ways
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vividha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; adverbial use with implied 'vācām/śabdam' = 'in various ways'
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)

• śoka-karśitā: emaciated by grief
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śoka + karśita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष sense: śokena karśitā); Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular; qualifying 'kausalyā'
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• upagṛhya: having embraced
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-√grah (धातु) + lyap (ल्यप्)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्), indeclinable verbal; 'having clasped/embraced'
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; pūrvakāla)

• śiraḥ: head
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• rājñaḥ: of the king
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular
• Role: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)

• kaikeyīm: Kaikeyi
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaikeyī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• prati-abhāṣata: spoke to, addressed
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-√bhāṣ (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (लङ्; imperfect/past), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

Sandhi Notes

• bāṣpapūrṇākṣī → bāṣpa + pūrṇa + akṣī (bahuvrīhi)
• pratyabhāṣata → prati + abhāṣata

Context

O cruel one! O perverse wretch, O Kaikeyi, your wishes have been fulfilled. You have forsaken the king, that was your only objective. (Now) enjoy the kingdom alone without any obstacles on your way.

The teaching

Power gained by betrayal is morally +cthornless+c only in appearance; adharma poisons both household and kingdom.

Duties in tension

• Queenly duty to protect husband and dynasty vs personal ambition for son+cs accession
• Truthful moral rebuke vs maintaining household harmony

Ethical theme

Strīdharma / rājadharma (court ethics)

For your practice

A warning against rāga-driven decisions; supports self-inquiry and restraint (dama) in household life.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Raudra (fury), with Bibhatsa (disgust)

Mood

Scathing, indignant, condemning

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Adharma
• Ethics
• Condemnation
• Royal household

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha
• Kingdom of Ayodhyā

FAQs

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

It condemns ruthless ambition that violates spousal and royal dharma; the verse frames such success as morally tainted, gained through abandonment and cruelty rather than truth and righteousness.

What is the narrative situation?

In the immediate fallout of Kaikeyī’s boons and Daśaratha’s ruin, a queen (likely Kausalyā) confronts Kaikeyī with bitter irony and accusation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral courage in speaking against perceived injustice is emphasized—denouncing wrongdoing even within the royal household.