Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 13

सत्यपाशः

Kaikeyi’s Demand and the Noose of the King’s Promise

Devanagari script

विह्वलाभ्यां च नेत्राभ्यामपश्यन्निव भूपतिः।कृच्छ्राद्धैर्येण संस्तभ्य कैकेयीमिदमब्रवीत्।।।।

Transliteration

vihvalābhyāṃ ca netrābhyām apaśyann iva bhūpatiḥ | kṛcchrād dhairyeṇa saṃstabhya kaikeyīm idam abravīt ||

Translation

വിഹ്വലമായ കണ്ണുകളാൽ കാണാൻ കഴിയാത്തവനെന്നപോലെ ഭൂപതി; മഹാ പ്രയാസത്തോടെ ധൈര്യം പിടിച്ചുനിർത്തി കൈകേയിയോട് ഇങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

• विह्वलाभ्याम्: with bewildered
• विह्वलाभ्याम्: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विह्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (नेत्र-विशेषण), तृतीया (Instrumental), द्विवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय

• नेत्राभ्याम्: with (his) two eyes
• नेत्राभ्याम्: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, द्विवचन

• अपश्यन्: not seeing
• अपश्यन्: Karta (कर्ता—qualifying)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पश् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणार्थे (as if not seeing)

• इव: as if
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Simile marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (as if)

• भूपतिः: king
• भूपतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: भूः पालयति इति; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कृच्छ्रात्: with great difficulty
• कृच्छ्रात्: Hetu (हेतु/Source-cause adverbial)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावेन (adverbial: with difficulty)

• धैर्येण: with courage
• धैर्येण: Karana (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धैर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• संस्तभ्य: having steadied
• संस्तभ्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Absolutive—prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्तम्भ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having steadied (himself)’

• कैकेयीम्: Kaikeyi
• कैकेयीम्: Karma (कर्म/Object—addressee)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैकेयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म/Object—what was said)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Context

The king was unable to see with his eyes overwhelmed (with tears). Gaining with great difficulty a firm footing and courage he addressed Kaikeyi:

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī

FAQs

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

Self-restraint in suffering: even in grief, one should speak and act with steadiness rather than collapse into chaos.

What is the narrative situation?

After staggering under grief, Daśaratha gathers composure to address Kaikeyī directly.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Dhairya (courage/steadfastness) in the face of moral and emotional catastrophe.