Valmiki Ramayana 2.20.7 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 20, Shloka 7

अयोध्याकाण्डे विंशः सर्गः

Rama Enters Kauśalyā’s Antaḥpura; Ritual Preparations and the Shock of Exile

Devanagari script

स हि चान्तःपुरे घोरमार्तशब्दं महीपतिः।पुत्रशोकाभिसन्तप्तः श्रुत्वा व्यालीयताऽसने।।।।

Transliteration

sa hi cāntaḥpure ghōram ārtaśabdaṃ mahīpatiḥ |

putraśokābhisantaptaḥ śrutvā vyālīyata āsane ||

Translation

Sang raja, yang hangus oleh duka atas putranya, mendengar jerit ratap yang mengerikan dari dalam istana dan pun terkulai di atas singgasananya.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (कर्तृ), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-शब्दः (he)

• हि: indeed
• हि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (emphatic/causal particle: indeed/for)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction: and)

• अन्तःपुरे: in the inner palace (harem)
• अन्तःपुरे: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तःपुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (अधिकरण), एकवचनम् (in the inner apartments/harem)

• घोरम्: terrible, dreadful
• घोरम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (आर्तशब्दम् इति विशेष्यस्य)

• आर्तशब्दम्: cry of distress
• आर्तशब्दम्: कर्म (Object of श्रुत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्त + शब्द (प्रातिपदिक-द्वयम्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (कर्म), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (आर्तानां शब्दः = cry of the distressed)

• महीपतिः: the king (lord of the earth)
• महीपतिः: कर्ता (Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही + पति (प्रातिपदिक-द्वयम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (कर्ता), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (महीयाः पतिः = lord of the earth, king)

• पुत्रशोकाभिसन्तप्तः: tormented by grief for his son
• पुत्रशोकाभिसन्तप्तः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुत्र + शोक + अभि + सन्तप्त (सन्तप् धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः (past passive participle) ‘सन्तप्त’ (tormented); उपपद/तत्पुरुष-समासः: पुत्रशोकेन अभिसन्तप्तः (tormented due to grief for his son)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: पूर्वकाल (Prior action; gerund modifying main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्तम् (gerund/absolutive): ‘having heard’

• व्यालीयत: sank down, collapsed
• व्यालीयत: क्रिया (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + आ + ली (धातु: ली/लि—श्लेषणे/शयने; here ‘to sink/lean/lie down’)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (imperfect/past), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्; ‘he sank/leaned down’

• आसने: on the seat
• आसने: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (अधिकरण), एकवचनम् (on/in the seat)

Context

Tormented with grief on account of his son, the king sank in his seat on hearing the cries of distress from the inner apartment

Characters & Entities

• Dasharatha
• Inner apartments (antaḥpura)

FAQs

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

The verse underscores that rulers bound by truth and promises may still be inwardly shattered; dharma is not portrayed as painless, but as a duty that can exact profound personal suffering.

What is the narrative situation?

Dasharatha hears the queens’ anguished cries from within the palace and physically collapses into his seat, overwhelmed by sorrow for Rama.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Dasharatha’s deep paternal attachment is foregrounded—his emotional collapse reveals the intensity of his love and the tragedy of conflicting obligations.