Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 64, Shloka 12

शब्दवेध्य-अनर्थः, ऋषिशापः, दशरथस्य प्राणत्यागः

The Sound-Target Tragedy, the Sage’s Curse, and Dasaratha’s Death

Devanagari script

मनसः कर्म चेष्टाभिरभिसंस्तभ्य वाग्बलम्।आचचक्षे त्वहं तस्मै पुत्रव्यसनजं भयम्।।।।

Transliteration

manasaḥ karma ceṣṭābhir abhisaṃstabhya vāgbalam | ācacakṣe tv ahaṃ tasmai putravyasanajaṃ bhayam ||

Translation

心を制し、努めて言葉の力を支えて、私は彼に告げた——恐れを抱きながらも——その子の死より生じた災厄を。

Word by Word

• मनसः: of the mind
• मनसः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• कर्म: act, effort
• कर्म: Sahakari (सहकारी/associated factor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अत्र ‘मनसः कर्म’ इति समुच्चयार्थे (mental act/effort)

• चेष्टाभिः: by efforts
• चेष्टाभिः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेष्टा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• अभिसंस्तभ्य: having steadied
• अभिसंस्तभ्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + सम् + स्तम्भ् (धातु) → अभिसंस्तभ्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप् (Absolutive/Gerund); ‘having steadied/controlled’

• वाग्बलम्: power of speech
• वाग्बलम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक् + बल (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘strength of speech’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आचचक्षे: I related/told
• आचचक्षे: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/contrast marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Particle; emphasis/contrast)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• पुत्रव्यसनजम्: arising from the calamity regarding (his) son
• पुत्रव्यसनजम्: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुत्र + व्यसन + ज (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘born of son-calamity’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् ‘भयम्’

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Context

After a lot of effort, with great fear controlling my thoughts and the power of speech, I related to him the calamity that had befallen his son.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Śravaṇa (implied)

FAQs

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

Satya aligned with responsibility: dharma requires a wrongdoer to disclose the truth and accept its consequences, even when fear makes speech difficult.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha gathers composure and explains to the sage the tragedy that has occurred to the sage’s son.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-control (dama) and truthfulness—he restrains panic to communicate the truth clearly.