Valmiki Ramayana 2.38.8 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 38, Shloka 8

अयोध्याकाण्डे अष्टत्रिंशः सर्गः

Sita in Bark Garments; Public Outcry and Dasaratha’s Lament

Devanagari script

रामेण यदि ते पापे किञ्चित्कृतमशोभनम्।अपकारः क इह ते वैदेह्या दर्शितोऽधमे।।।।

Transliteration

rāmeṇa yadi te pāpe kiñcit kṛtam aśobhanam | apakāraḥ ka iha te vaidehyā darśito ’dhame ||

Translation

ഹേ പാപിനി, രാമൻ നിന്നോടു എന്തെങ്കിലും അശോഭനമായതു ചെയ്തിട്ടുണ്ടെങ്കിൽ പറയുക; ഹേ അധമേ, ഇവിടെ വൈദേഹി നിന്നോടു ഏതു അപകാരം കാണിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു?

Word by Word

• रामेण: by/through Rama
• रामेण: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/सह), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• यदि: if
• यदि: सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध (sentence connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• ते: to you
• ते: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Dative singular (enclitic)

• पापे: O sinful woman
• पापे: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Vocative singular (address)

• किञ्चित्: even a little
• किञ्चित्: विशेषण-भाव (modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किञ्चित् (अव्यय/सर्वनाम-नपुंसक)
• Form: परिमाणार्थक-अव्यय (indefinite adverb: 'a little')

• कृतम्: done
• कृतम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; past passive participle 'done'

• अशोभनम्: unbecoming
• अशोभनम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-शोभन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; adjective qualifying 'kṛtam'

• अपकारः: offence/harm
• अपकारः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• कः: what?/which?
• कः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; interrogative pronoun

• इह: here
• इह: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• ते: to you
• ते: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Dative singular (enclitic)

• वैदेह्या: by Vaidehi (Sita)
• वैदेह्या: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैदेही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• दर्शितः: shown
• दर्शितः: क्रिया-विशेष (verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + णिच्? (causative sense) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; past passive participle 'shown' agreeing with 'apakāraḥ'

• अधमे: O wretch
• अधमे: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; Vocative singular (abuse/address)

Context

O sinful woman! O wretch! Rama might have done something unbecoming to you, but what offence has Sita committed?

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī
• Rāma
• Sītā (Vaidehī)

FAQs

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

Dharma demands moral accountability: even if one claims injury from a person, it is unrighteous to transfer punishment onto another who is innocent.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha confronts Kaikeyī: even granting her grievance against Rāma, he insists Sītā has committed no wrong to deserve hardship.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Daśaratha’s insistence on justice and proper attribution of fault.