Valmiki Ramayana 2.40.23 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 40, Shloka 23

प्रयाणवर्णनम्

Departure from Ayodhya; Civic Lament and the Chariot’s Urgency

Devanagari script

आयसं हृदयं नूनं राममातुरसंशयम्।यद्देवगर्भप्रतिमे वनं याति न भिद्यते।।।।

Transliteration

āyasaṃ hṛdayaṃ nūnaṃ rāmamātur asaṃśayam | yad devagarbha-pratime vanaṃ yāti na bhidyate ||

Translation

നിശ്ചയം—സംശയമില്ല—രാമന്റെ മാതാവിന്റെ ഹൃദയം ഇരുമ്പായിരിക്കണം; ദേവഗർഭസമനായ രാമൻ വനത്തിലേക്കു പോകുമ്പോഴും അത് പൊട്ടുന്നില്ല.

Word by Word

• āyasam: made of iron
• āyasam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āyasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicate adjective of hṛdayam)

• hṛdayam: heart
• hṛdayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• nūnam: surely
• nūnam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nūnam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक (certainly)

• rāmamātuḥ: of Rama's mother
• rāmamātuḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāmamātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• asaṃśayam: without doubt
• asaṃśayam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: asaṃśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् निपात-प्रयोगः; अर्थे: न संशयः (without doubt)

• yat: because/that (for which reason)
• yat: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• devagarbha-pratime: in/with (one) like a divine child
• devagarbha-pratime: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: devagarbha + pratima (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (devagarbhasya pratima = like a divine offspring); अत्र सप्तमी-सम्बन्धे (with reference to/when such a one)

• vanam: to the forest
• vanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• yāti: goes
• yāti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (या)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• bhidyate: breaks/is broken
• bhidyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhid (भिद्)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive sense): is broken

Context

Alas, the heart of Kausalya whose son, Rama, resembles the offspring of the gods, does not break even though he is going to the forest! Undoubtedly it must be made of iron.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Kauśalyā
• vana (forest)

FAQs

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

Dharma here is endurance and self-restraint in suffering: Kauśalyā bears unbearable grief without collapsing, embodying dignified steadiness amid a righteous but painful exile.

What is the narrative situation?

As Rāma departs for the forest, observers marvel that his mother Kauśalyā does not break down, even though her divine-like son is being sent away.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Kauśalyā’s fortitude (dhairya) and maternal nobility—strength that holds firm even under profound loss.