Valmiki Ramayana 2.12.58: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 58

द्वादशः सर्गः — Kaikeyi’s Boons and Dasaratha’s Moral Collapse

Ayodhya Kanda 12

Devanagari script

कुतो वा ते भयं जातं या त्वमेवंविधं वरम्।।।।राष्ट्रे भरतमासीनं वृणीषे राघवं वने।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.12.58

Transliteration

kuto vā te bhayaṃ jātaṃ yā tvam evaṃvidhaṃ varam |

rāṣṭre bharatam āsīnaṃ vṛṇīṣe rāghavaṃ vane ||

Translation

いったいどこからその恐れが生じて、かくも異様な願いを恩寵として求めるのだ。バラタを国に据え、ラ―ガヴァ（ラーマ）を森に住まわせるとは。

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Word by Word

• kutaḥ: from where
• kutaḥ: Hetu/Source query (हेतु/अपादान-प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kutas (अव्यय/प्रश्न)
• Form: Avyaya; interrogative adverb (प्रश्नाव्यय)

• vā: or
• vā: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; disjunctive/alternative particle (विकल्प)

• te: to you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Caturthī (4th/चतुर्थी), Ekavacana; dative: "to you/in you"

• bhayam: fear
• bhayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; subject of jātaṃ

• jātam: has arisen
• jātam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jan (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Kta (क्त) PPP; Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana agreeing with bhayam; "arisen"

• yā: you who
• yā: Sambodhyā/Karta (सम्बोध्या/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; relative pronoun addressing Kaikeyī: "you who"

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Prathamā, Ekavacana; subject of vṛṇīṣe

• evaṃ-vidham: of this kind
• evaṃ-vidham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: evaṃ (अव्यय) + vidha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: "of such a kind"; qualifies varam

• varam: a boon
• varam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; object of vṛṇīṣe

• rāṣṭre: in the kingdom
• rāṣṭre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāṣṭra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana; locative

• bharatam: Bharata
• bharatam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; object related to āsīnam (Bharata seated)

• āsīnam: seated/established
• āsīnam: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ās (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Kta (क्त) / past participle in sense "seated"; Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana agreeing with bharatam

• vṛṇīṣe: you ask for
• vṛṇīṣe: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vṛ (वृञ्, धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra, Madhyama puruṣa, Ekavacana; ātmanepada; "you choose/ask for"

• rāghavam: Rama
• rāghavam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; object (to be sent) implied with vane

• vane: in the forest
• vane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana; locative: "in/to the forest"

Context

You are asking for a boon that Bharata should be enthroned in the kingdom while Rama should live in the forest. From where did you get this apprehension?

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī
• Bharata
• Rāma (Rāghava)
• rāṣṭra (Ayodhyā kingdom)
• vana (forest)

FAQs

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

Daśaratha frames Kaikeyī’s demand as arising from fear rather than dharma; righteous action should be grounded in justice and truth, not anxiety-driven manipulation of succession.

What is the narrative situation?

After being pressed for boons, Daśaratha challenges Kaikeyī’s request that Bharata be made king and Rāma be exiled to the forest.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Daśaratha’s concern for rightful order (rājadharma) and his attempt—however strained—to reason morally against an unjust demand.