Valmiki Ramayana 2.12.33 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 33

द्वादशः सर्गः — Kaikeyi’s Boons and Dasaratha’s Moral Collapse

Ayodhya Kanda 12

Devanagari script

क्षमा यस्मिन्दमस्त्याग सत्यं धर्मः कृतज्ञता।अप्यहिंसा च भूतानां तमृते का गतिर्मम।।।।

Transliteration

kṣamā yasmin damas tyāga satyaṃ dharmaḥ kṛtajñatā |

apy ahiṃsā ca bhūtānāṃ tam ṛte kā gatir mama ||

Translation

ക്ഷമ, ദമം, ത്യാഗം, സത്യം, ധർമ്മം, കൃതജ്ഞത, സർവ്വഭൂതങ്ങളോടുള്ള അഹിംസ—ഇവയൊക്കെയും വസിക്കുന്ന ആ ശ്രീരാമനില്ലാതെ എനിക്ക് എന്ത് ഗതി, എന്ത് ആശ്രയം?

Word by Word

• kṣamā: forgiveness
• kṣamā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣamā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative), Ekavacana (sg.)

• yasmin: in whom
• yasmin: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (relative pronoun), Puṃliṅga (m.), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/अधिकरण), Ekavacana (sg.)

• damaḥ: self-control
• damaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative), Ekavacana (sg.)

• tyāgaḥ: renunciation
• tyāgaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tyāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative), Ekavacana (sg.)

• satyam: truth
• satyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga (n.), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative), Ekavacana (sg.)

• dharmaḥ: righteousness
• dharmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative), Ekavacana (sg.)

• kṛtajñatā: gratitude
• kṛtajñatā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛtajñatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative), Ekavacana (sg.)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya/avadhāraṇa-nipāta (particle: also/even)

• ahiṃsā: non-violence
• ahiṃsā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ahiṃsā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative), Ekavacana (sg.)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (conjunction/समुच्चय)

• bhūtānām: of beings
• bhūtānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga (n.), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), Bahuvacana (pl.)

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (pronoun), Puṃliṅga (m.), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative), Ekavacana (sg.)

• ṛte: without
• ṛte: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ṛte (अव्यय)
• Form: Apavarga-avyaya (preposition-like indeclinable): 'without' (governs accusative)

• kā: what? which?
• kā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative), Ekavacana (sg.); interrogative pronoun

• gatiḥ: refuge, course
• gatiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative), Ekavacana (sg.)

• mama: of me, my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (pronoun), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), Ekavacana (sg.)

Context

Where is the refuge for me without him in whom dwell forgiveness, forbearance, renunciation, truthfulness, righteousness, gratefulness and also nonviolence towards all living beings?

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Kaikeyī
• bhūtas (living beings)

FAQs

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

Dharma is portrayed as a lived moral ecology—truth, gratitude, self-restraint, and ahiṃsā—whose absence makes life directionless.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha expresses despair at the prospect of losing Rāma (through exile), describing him as the very embodiment of sustaining virtues.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Ahiṃsā and kṛtajñatā alongside satya—Rāma’s compassion and gratitude are central to his dharmic identity.