Valmiki Ramayana 2.38.1: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 38, Shloka 1

अयोध्याकाण्डे अष्टत्रिंशः सर्गः · Sita in Bark Garments; Public Outcry and Dasaratha’s Lament

Spoken by Citizens of Ayodhya to DasharathaSetting: Ayodhyā

Devanagari script

तस्यां चीरं वसानायां नाथवत्यामनाथवत् ।

प्रचुक्रोश जनस्सर्वो धिक्त्वां दशरथं त्विति ॥१॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.38.1

Transliteration

tasyāṃ cīraṃ vasānāyāṃ nāthavatyām anāthavat |

pracukrośa janaḥ sarvo dhik tvāṃ daśarathaṃ tv iti ||1||

Translation

നാഥനുണ്ടായിട്ടും അനാഥയെന്നപോലെ ചീരവസ്ത്രം ധരിച്ച സീതയെ കണ്ടപ്പോൾ സർവ്വജനവും നിലവിളിച്ചു: “ധിക് നിനക്കു, ദശരഥാ!”

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Word by Word

• तस्याम्: in her / in that (woman, i.e., Sītā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Locative singular, feminine) — सर्वनाम-शब्दः
• Role: अधिकरण (locus/setting)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction: 'and')
• Role: सम्बन्ध (connector)

• चीरम्: bark-garment / coarse cloth
• Type: Noun
• Root: चीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Accusative singular, neuter)
• Role: कर्म (object, with 'wearing')

• वसानायाम्: while wearing
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय) → वसाना (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शानच्-प्रत्ययान्तः वर्तमानकृदन्तः (present active participle) — स्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Locative singular, feminine); अर्थः: 'वसन्ती/धारयन्ती' (wearing)
• Role: अधिकरण (locative absolute/setting)

• नाथवत्याम्: having a lord/husband; protected
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाथवत् (प्रातिपदिक; नाथ + मतुप्/वतुप् प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Locative singular, feminine); विशेषणम् (qualifier of तस्याम्)
• Role: अधिकरण (qualifier within locus)

• अनाथवत्: like one without support
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अ-नाथ-वत् (प्रातिपदिक; नाथ + वत्, नञ्-प्रत्ययेन निषेधः)
• Form: अव्ययीभावार्थे उपमान-प्रयोगः (indeclinable adverbial usage: 'like/as if'); तुल्ययोगिता (comparison)
• Role: विशेषण-भाव (manner/comparison)

• प्रचुक्रोश: cried out / shouted
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + क्रुश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (परोक्सभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः एकवचनम् (3rd person singular); परस्मैपदम्
• Role: क्रिया (main action)

• जनः: the people
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Nominative singular, masculine)
• Role: कर्ता (agent)

• सर्वः: all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Nominative singular, masculine); विशेषणम् (qualifier of जनः)
• Role: कर्ता (qualifier of agent)

• धिक्: fie! shame!
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धिक् (अव्यय)
• Form: निन्दार्थक-अव्ययम्/उद्गारः (interjection of censure: 'fie!')
• Role: सम्बोधन/उद्गार (exclamation)

• त्वाम्: you
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Accusative singular) — सर्वनाम-शब्दः
• Role: कर्म (object of censure/address)

• दशरथम्: Daśaratha
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशरथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Accusative singular, masculine); संबोधनार्थे कर्मवत् प्रयोगः (addressed as object of 'dhik')
• Role: कर्म (target of censure)

• त्व: (thus, in the words) 'you...'
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्व (अव्यय; इति-पूर्वकं वाक्य-समाप्त्यर्थम्)
• Form: उक्त्यनुकरणे अव्ययम् (quotative particle used before इति; here marking the quoted address)
• Role: वाक्य-चिह्न (quotative marker)

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्ययम् (quotative: 'thus')
• Role: वाक्य-चिह्न (end of quotation)

Sandhi Notes

• तस्यां + च → तस्यां च
• चीरम् + वसानायाम् (no change)
• नाथवत्याम् + अनाथवत् → नाथवत्यामनाथवत् (m-sandhi)
• जनः + सर्वः → जनस्सर्वः (visarga → s before s)
• धिक् + त्वाम् → धिक्त्वाम् (k + t conjunct)
• दशरथम् + त्व + इति → दशरथं त्विति (m before t → anusvāra; tv + iti → tviti)

Context

Beholding Sita who was wearing a bark garment, like one without a support, though having a husband, all the people cried bitterly exclaiming O Dasaratha, fie on you.

The teaching

When royal duty appears to fail, public conscience becomes a mirror of dharma; the sight of the innocent suffering exposes the cost of misapplied vows.

Duties in tension

• Daśaratha+cṣ satya-vrata (keeping boons to Kaikeyī)
• Rājadharma to protect the innocent and uphold justice
• Pitṛdharma toward Rāma and care for Sītā as daughter-in-law

Ethical theme

Rājadharma vs satya

For your practice

Contemplation on Sītā as dharma-svarūpiṇī and on compassion for the afflicted; reflection on the ethics of power and vows.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Raudra (fury)

Mood

Public lament, moral outrage, pathos

Themes

• Dharma
• Rāja-dharma (kingly duty)
• Social Ethics
• Compassion
• Itihasa

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Daśaratha
• bark garment (cīra)

FAQs

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

Rāja-dharma and accountability: the populace judges the king’s actions by their impact on the innocent, insisting that authority must protect, not expose, the vulnerable.

What is the narrative situation?

As Sītā appears in ascetic garb, the public reacts with outrage and grief, directing blame toward Daśaratha.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Public moral conscience: collective empathy for Sītā and insistence on justice from the ruler.