Valmiki Ramayana 2.24.8: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 24, Shloka 8

कौशल्यारामसंवादः

Kausalya–Rama Dialogue on Exile-Dharma

Devanagari script

अयं तु मामात्मभव स्तवादर्शनमारुतः।विलापदुःखसमिधो रुदिताश्रुहुताहुतिः।।2.24.6।।चिन्ताबाष्पमहाधूमस्तवागमनचित्तजः। कर्शयित्वा भृशं पुत्र निश्वासायाससम्भवः।।2.24.7।।त्वया विहीनामिह मां शोकाग्निरतुलो महान्।प्रधक्ष्यति यथा कक्षं चित्रभानुर्हिमात्यये।।2.24.8।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.24.8

Transliteration

ayaṃ tu mām ātmabhavaḥ tavādarśana-mārutaḥ |

vilāpa-duḥkha-samidhō ruditāśru-hutāhutiḥ || 2.24.6 ||

cintā-bāṣpa-mahādhūmas tavāgamanacittajaḥ |

karśayitvā bhṛśaṃ putra niśvāsāyāsa-sambhavaḥ || 2.24.7 ||

tvayā vihīnāṃ iha māṃ śokāgnir atulo mahān |

pradhakṣyati yathā kakṣaṃ citrabhānur himātyaye || 2.24.8 ||

Translation

あなたが去れば、わが子よ、私の内に比類なき大いなる悲しみの火が燃え上がる——あなたに会えぬ風にあおられ、嘆きと痛みを薪とし、私の涙を供物として、憂いの思いは濃い煙となる。疲れた溜息から生まれたその火は私をやつれさせ焼き尽くすだろう、盛夏の熱に燃える火が枯れ草を焼くように。

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Word by Word

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), द्वितीयपुरुष-प्रयोग (2nd person reference); तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन (Singular)

• vihīnām: deprived (of you)
• vihīnām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-hī (धातु) + kta (क्त) → vihīna (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (F), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifies mām)

• iha: here
• iha: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), उत्तमपुरुष-प्रयोग (1st person reference); द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular)

• śokāgniḥ: the fire of grief
• śokāgniḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śoka (प्रातिपदिक) + agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): शोकस्य अग्निः; पुल्लिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन (Singular)

• atulaḥ: incomparable
• atulaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-tula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifies śokāgniḥ)

• mahān: great
• mahān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifies śokāgniḥ)

• pradhakṣyati: will burn up
• pradhakṣyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-dah (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• yathā: as, just as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), उपमानवाचक/तुलनाबोधक (comparative particle)

• kakṣam: dry brushwood/grass (a thicket)
• kakṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रयोग (commonly M; here Accusative), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular)

• citrabhānuḥ: the blazing sun (lit. bright-luminary)
• citrabhānuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: citra (प्रातिपदिक) + bhānu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (descriptive): चित्रः भानुः; पुल्लिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन (Singular)

• himātyaye: at the end of winter / in summer
• himātyaye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hima (प्रातिपदिक) + atyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ (hima-atyaya = end of cold season); पुल्लिङ्ग (M), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन (Singular)

Context

Seeing Rama full of auspicious qualities resolved to go to the forest and having spoken to him with the fullness of her heart, Devi Kausalya now braced herself up to perform ceremonies in the interest of Rama's well-being.ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē ayōdhyākāṇḍē caturviṅśassargaḥ৷৷Thus ends the twentyfourth sarga of Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Kausalyā
• Rāma

FAQs

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

The passage shows the human cost of dharma: Rāma’s adherence to truth and duty entails separation and suffering for his mother. Dharma is portrayed as morally elevated yet emotionally painful.

What is the narrative situation?

Kausalyā imagines the devastation she will experience once Rāma departs for forest-exile, using sacrificial-fire imagery to describe grief.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Kausalyā’s deep maternal devotion and honesty of emotion; Rāma’s implied steadfastness, since such grief arises only because he will not abandon his pledged duty.