Valmiki Ramayana 2.53.8 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 53, Shloka 8

पञ्चाशत्तमः सर्गः (Sarga 53)

Rāma’s Lament, Vigil for Sītā, and Lakṣmaṇa’s Consolation

Devanagari script

अनाथश्च हि वृद्धश्च मया चैव विनाकृतः।किं करिष्यति कामात्मा कैकेयी वशमागतः।।।।

Transliteration

anāthaś ca hi vṛddhaś ca mayā caiva vinākṛtaḥ | kiṃ kariṣyati kāmātmā kaikeyīvaśam āgataḥ ||

Translation

ಅವನು ವೃದ್ಧನೂ ಹೌದು, ನನ್ನಿಂದ ದೂರಾಗಿ ಅನಾಥನಾಗಿದ್ದಾನೆ; ಕಾಮದಿಂದ ನಡೆಸಲ್ಪಟ್ಟು ಕೈಕೇಯಿಯ ವಶಕ್ಕೆ ಬಿದ್ದ ರಾಜನು ಏನು ಮಾಡಬಲ್ಲನು?

Word by Word

• अनाथः: helpless, without protector
• अनाथः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (indeed/for)

• वृद्धः: aged
• वृद्धः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: certainly, just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: वियोगार्थक अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable)

• कृतः: made (to be) without; separated
• कृतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘विना’ इत्यनेन सह ‘विनाकृतः’ = वियुक्तः

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• करिष्यति: will do
• करिष्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• कामात्मा: one whose nature is desire; lustful-minded
• कामात्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः: ‘कामः आत्मा यस्य/काम एव आत्मा’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कैकेयी: of Kaikeyi
• कैकेयी: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैकेयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (समासे पूर्वपद-सम्बन्धः: कैकेय्याः)

• वशम्: control, sway
• वशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आगतः: having come (under); fallen under
• आगतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘वशम्’ इत्यस्य कर्मणि प्रयोगः (वशम् आगतः = under control)

Context

That lustful king, having come under the hold of Kaikeyi, has been deprived of my presence. What can that forlorn and aged king do?

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Daśaratha (implied king)
• Kaikeyī
• kāma (desire)

FAQs

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

Dharma requires guarding the mind: when a ruler becomes governed by desire and influence, he loses agency and fails in protective duty.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma laments his father’s vulnerability—aged, separated from Rāma, and swayed by Kaikeyī—during the first night of exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Filial responsibility and compassion: Rāma’s pain is for his father’s welfare, not for lost power.