Valmiki Ramayana 2.12.65 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 65

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

Ayodhya Kanda 12

Devanagari script

यदा तु बहवो वृद्धा गुणवन्तो बहुश्रुताः।।।।परिप्रक्ष्यन्ति काकुत्स्थं वक्ष्यामि किमहं तदा।

Transliteration

yadā tu bahavo vṛddhā guṇavanto bahuśrutāḥ |

pariprakṣyanti kākutsthaṃ vakṣyāmi kim ahaṃ tadā ||

Translation

പിന്നെ അനേകം വൃദ്ധന്മാർ—ഗുണവാന്മാരും ബഹുശ്രുതന്മാരും—കാകുത്സ്ഥനെ (രാമനെ) കുറിച്ച് എന്നോട് ചോദിക്കുമ്പോൾ, അപ്പോൾ ഞാൻ എന്ത് മറുപടി പറയാൻ കഴിയും?

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal conjunction)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• वृद्धाः: elders
• वृद्धाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• गुणवन्तः: virtuous
• गुणवन्तः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guṇavant (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• बहुश्रुताः: well-learned
• बहुश्रुताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu-śruta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; बहुव्रीहि: बहु श्रुतं येषाम् (well-learned)

• परिप्रक्ष्यन्ति: will question
• परिप्रक्ष्यन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-prach (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• काकुत्स्थम्: Kakutstha (Rama)
• काकुत्स्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kākutstha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• वक्ष्यामि: I will say
• वक्ष्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रश्न

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (then)

Context

I have taken this decision in consultation with friends to install Rama. How can I see such a decision being reversed like a retreating army defeated by enemies? Kings from different quarters have already arrived and they will say, How did this ignorant descendant of the Ikshakus (Dasaratha) rule this kingdom for such a long time?

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī
• Rāma (Kākutstha)

FAQs

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

Dharma must withstand scrutiny by the wise; unrighteous acts collapse when questioned by elders who represent ethical memory and social conscience.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha anticipates interrogation by respected elders regarding Rāma’s fate and fears he will have no defensible explanation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Respect for the judgment of the wise (vṛddha/śiṣṭa authority) as a measure of moral legitimacy.