Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 53, Shloka 9

पञ्चाशत्तमः सर्गः (Sarga 53)

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

Devanagari script

इदं व्यसनमालोक्य राज्ञश्च मतिविभ्रमम्।काम एवार्थधर्माभ्यां गरीयानिति मे मतिः।।।।

Transliteration

idaṃ vyasanam ālokya rājñaś ca mativibhramam | kāma evārthadharmābhyāṃ garīyān iti me matiḥ ||

Translation

ಈ ವಿಪತ್ತನ್ನೂ ರಾಜನ ವಿವೇಕಭ್ರಾಂತಿಯನ್ನೂ ಕಂಡು, ನನ್ನ ಮತದಲ್ಲಿ ಅರ್ಥ ಮತ್ತು ಧರ್ಮಕ್ಕಿಂತಲೂ ಕಾಮವೇ (ಆಸೆ) ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಭಾರಿಯಾಗುತ್ತದೆ.

Word by Word

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• व्यसनम्: calamity, misfortune
• व्यसनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आलोक्य: having seen
• आलोक्य: Kriya (क्रिया-अनुबन्ध/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + लोक् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभावरूप कृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); ‘having seen’

• राज्ञः: of the king
• राज्ञः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

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

• मतिविभ्रमम्: confusion/aberration of mind
• मतिविभ्रमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति + विभ्रम (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: मतेः विभ्रमः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कामः: desire, passion
• कामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• एव: alone, indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात (only/indeed)

• अर्थधर्माभ्याम्: than artha and dharma (wealth and righteousness)
• अर्थधर्माभ्याम्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ + धर्म (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (अर्थश्च धर्मश्च); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), द्विवचन; तुलना/अपेक्षा (in comparison with)

• गरीयान्: stronger, weightier
• गरीयान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गरियस्/गुरु (प्रातिपदिक; तुलनात्मक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तुलनात्मक-विशेषण (comparative)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• मतिः: opinion, thought
• मतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Context

Reflecting on the calamity and mental aberration of the king, I think passion is stronger than wealth and righteousness.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Daśaratha (king, implied)
• kāma
• artha
• dharma

FAQs

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

Unchecked desire can overpower both material prudence (artha) and moral law (dharma); therefore dharma demands mastery over kāma.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma interprets the exile crisis as evidence of how desire can distort judgment even in a king, leading to disaster.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral insight and detachment: Rāma uses suffering as a lens to understand human weakness, rather than to seek revenge.