Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 64, Shloka 18

शब्दवेध्य-अनर्थः, ऋषिशापः, दशरथस्य प्राणत्यागः

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

Devanagari script

ततस्तस्यैव वचनादुपेत्य परितप्यतः।स मया सहसा बाण उधृतो मर्मतस्तदा।।।।

Transliteration

tatas tasyaiva vacanād upetya paritapyataḥ | sa mayā sahasā bāṇa udhṛto marmatas tadā ||

Translation

それから、彼自身の願いにより、激痛にもだえ苦しむ彼のもとへ近づき、私はただちにその急所から矢を引き抜いた。

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb of sequence)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Emphatic particle)

• वचनात्: from (his) words
• वचनात्: Hetu (हेतु/Cause-source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• उपेत्य: having approached
• उपेत्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + इ (धातु) → उपेत्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप् (Absolutive/Gerund); ‘having approached’

• परितप्यतः: of (him) suffering intensely
• परितप्यतः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + तप् (धातु) → परितप्यत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ (Present participle); पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘of him who was suffering/tormented’

• सः: that (arrow)
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr-karana (कर्तृ-करण/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया, एकवचन

• सहसा: suddenly
• सहसा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रिया-विशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb: suddenly/at once)

• बाणः: arrow
• बाणः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; (सः बाणः)

• उद्धृतः: was extracted
• उद्धृतः: Kriya (क्रिया as participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + हृ (धातु) → उद्धृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘was pulled out’

• मर्मतः: from the vital spot
• मर्मतः: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative-source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb of time)

Context

Then I approached him. He was suffering from excruciating pain. I pulled out at his word the arrow from his chest.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Śravaṇa (implicit ‘he’)
• arrow (bāṇa)

FAQs

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

Even after wrongdoing, dharma demands immediate compassionate response to suffering—rendering aid and obeying the victim’s last requests.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha reaches the wounded ascetic and removes the arrow at the ascetic’s instruction.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Responsiveness to suffering—an attempt to alleviate pain, though it cannot undo the harm.