Valmiki Ramayana 2.13.21: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 13, Shloka 21

अयोध्याकाण्डे त्रयोदशः सर्गः | Kaikeyi Presses the Boons; Dasaratha’s Lament and Collapse

Spoken by Dasharatha to KaikeyiSetting: Ayodhyā (inner palace)

Devanagari script

शून्ये न खलु सुश्रोणि मयेदं समुदाहृतम् ॥२१॥

कुरु साधु प्रसादं मे बाले सहृदया ह्यसि ।

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.13.21

Transliteration

śūnye na khalu suśroṇi mayedaṃ samudāhṛtam ||21||

kuru sādhu prasādaṃ me bāle sahṛdayā hy asi |

Translation

ໂອ ສຸຊໂຣນີ ຜູ້ມີສະໂພກງາມ, ຖ້ອຍຄຳຂອງຂ້າພະເຈົ້າບໍ່ໄດ້ກ່າວໃສ່ຄວາມຫວ່າງເປົ່າ; ໂອ ນາງນ້ອຍ, ຂໍໃຫ້ເຈົ້າໂປດເມດຕາຂ້າພະເຈົ້າ, ເພາະແທ້ຈິງເຈົ້າເປັນຜູ້ມີໃຈອ່ອນໂຍນ ແລະກະລຸນາ.

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Word by Word

• śūnye: in emptiness; in vain
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūnya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)

• na: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)
• Role: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)

• khalu: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: khalu (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निश्चय/अनुनयार्थक-अव्यय)
• Role: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)

• suśroṇi: O fair-hipped lady
• Type: Noun
• Root: su-śroṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन); ‘fair-hipped’
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• mayā: by me
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• idam: this
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (इदम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• samudāhṛtam: has been uttered; declared
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + hṛ (हृ धातु) with sam-ud- + kta
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with idam
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• kuru: do; grant
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• sādhu: well
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sādhu (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (प्रशंसार्थक-अव्यय)
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)

• prasādam: favor; grace
• Type: Noun
• Root: prasāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• me: to me
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)

• bāle: O young lady
• Type: Noun
• Root: bālā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)

• sahṛdayā: kind-hearted
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa-hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); bahuvrīhi: ‘one who has a (good) heart’
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Compound: Bahuvrihi

• hi: indeed; for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (हेतु/निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय)
• Role: Hetu (हेतु)

• asi: you are
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस् धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

Sandhi Notes

• mayēdaṃ = mayā + idam
• sahṛdayā hyasi = sahṛdayā + hi + asi

Context

O lady with fair hips, I hope whatever I have said has not been a cry in the (empty) sky. O young lady show me this favour. Surely you are kind-hearted.

The teaching

Speech seeks a receptive heart; dharma includes not only speaking truth but also hearing with compassion.

Duties in tension

• Responding to sincere plea vs pursuing desired outcome
• Compassionate listening vs hard-hearted insistence
• Marital duty vs political ambition

Ethical theme

Ethics of communication / compassion

For your practice

Practice of mindful speech and compassionate listening; reflection on not letting words fall into śūnya through inattentiveness or cruelty.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Earnest, softening, hopeful

Themes

• Dharma
• Appeal to compassion
• Speech ethics
• Pathos
• Family duty

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī

FAQs

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

Dharma is sustained by responsiveness to rightful plea; ignoring sincere supplication is portrayed as moral hardness, while kindness of heart is upheld as the proper standard.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha continues to beseech Kaikeyī, hoping his words will move her and not vanish without effect.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The virtue invoked is compassion (sahṛdayatā). Daśaratha appeals to Kaikeyī’s better nature, even as the narrative elsewhere questions it.