Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 40, Shloka 36

प्रयाणवर्णनम्

Departure from Ayodhya; Civic Lament and the Chariot’s Urgency

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा तु नृपति श्श्रीमानेकचित्तगतं पुरम्।निपपातैव दुःखेन हतमूल इव द्रुमः।।।।

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā tu nṛpatiḥ śrīmān ekacittagataṃ puram | nipapātaiva duḥkhena hatamūla iva drumaḥ ||

Translation

栄えある王は、都がひとつの悲しみに沈みきっているのを見て、根を断たれた木のように、嘆きに打たれて崩れ落ちた。

Word by Word

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund), ‘दृष्ट्वा’ = having seen

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrast/emphasis)

• nṛpatiḥ: the king
• nṛpatiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• śrīmān: illustrious
• śrīmān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śrīmat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (of nṛpatiḥ)

• ekacittagatam: absorbed in one thought
• ekacittagatam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + citta (प्रातिपदिक) + gata (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (‘एकचित्ते गतम्’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of puram)

• puram: the city
• puram: Karma (कर्म/object of dṛṣṭvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• nipapāta: fell down
• nipapāta: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni + pat (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• duḥkhena: with grief
• duḥkhena: Hetu (हेतु/cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• hatamūlaḥ: with roots cut
• hatamūlaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hata (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + mūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (‘हतं मूलं यस्य’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (of drumaḥ)

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय

• drumaḥ: a tree
• drumaḥ: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: druma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपमान

Context

Having seen the city (people) absorbed in one single thought, the prosperous king, grief-stricken, fell down on the ground like a tree severed at its root.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha (implied: nṛpatiḥ/king)
• Ayodhyā (puram)

FAQs

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

It shows the burden of dharma on rulers: even a king, bound by truth and royal obligation, can be shattered when dharma’s consequences harm what he loves most.

What is the narrative situation?

The king observes the entire city focused on Rāma’s departure and, overwhelmed, falls down in grief.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Daśaratha’s deep paternal love and sensitivity, revealing the human cost behind royal decisions tied to vows and truth.