Valmiki Ramayana 2.33.13: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 33, Shloka 13

त्रयस्त्रिंशः सर्गः

Civic Lament and Rama’s Dutiful Approach to Daśaratha

Devanagari script

तस्मात्तस्योपघातेन प्रजाः परमपीडिताः।औदकानीव सत्त्वानि ग्रीष्मे सलिलसङ्क्षयात्।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.33.13

Transliteration

tasmāt tasyopaghātena prajāḥ paramapīḍitāḥ | audakānīva sattvāni grīṣme salilasaṅkṣayāt ||

Translation

ດັ່ງນັ້ນ ເມື່ອພຣະອົງ (ພຣະຣາມ) ຖືກທຳຮ້າຍ ປະຊາຊົນທັງຫຼາຍກໍທຸກທົນຢ່າງຫນັກ ດຸຈສັດນ້ຳໃນລະດູຮ້ອນເມື່ອນ້ຳຫຼຸດຫາຍແຫ້ງຂອດ

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Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative adverbial form (तस्मात्): 'therefore/from that'

• tasya: of him (Rama)
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana

• upaghātena: by the injury/affliction
• upaghātena: Karaṇa/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upaghāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; instrumental of cause/means

• prajāḥ: subjects, people
• prajāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana

• paramapīḍitāḥ: greatly afflicted
• paramapīḍitāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + pīḍita (कृदन्त; √pīḍ पीड्)
• Form: Karmadhāraya: parama-pīḍitāḥ 'extremely tormented'; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; qualifying prajāḥ

• audakāni: aquatic
• audakāni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: audaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; qualifying sattvāni

• iva: like
• iva: Upamāna-marker (उपमान-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Upamā-avyaya (particle of comparison)

• sattvāni: creatures
• sattvāni: Karta (कर्ता; in simile)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā, Bahuvacana

• grīṣme: in summer
• grīṣme: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: grīṣma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana

• salila-saṅkṣayāt: from the drying up of water
• salila-saṅkṣayāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: salila (प्रातिपदिक) + saṅkṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: salila-saṅkṣaya 'depletion of water'; Puṃliṅga, Pañcamī (5th/पञ्चमी), Ekavacana; ablative of cause

Context

Therefore, people are deeply pained to see Rama afflicted. They look like aquatic creatures in summer when the water dries up.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• people (prajā)
• water (salila)

FAQs

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

Dharma is shown as interdependence between ruler and society: when the righteous center is harmed, the community’s well-being withers.

What is the narrative situation?

The citizens express how Rāma’s exile feels like a life-source removed, using a vivid ecological simile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s sustaining presence as a dhārmic figure—his virtue is portrayed as essential nourishment for public life.