Valmiki Ramayana 2.41.8 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 41, Shloka 8

अयोध्यायाः शोकप्रकम्पः

Ayodhya’s Tremor of Grief and Omens

Devanagari script

स तमन्तः पुरे घोरमार्तशब्दं महीपतिः।पुत्रशोकाभिसन्तप्तः श्रुत्वा चासीत्सुदुःखितः।।2.41.8।।

Transliteration

sa tam antaḥpure ghoraṃ ārtaśabdaṃ mahīpatiḥ |

putraśokābhisantaptaḥ śrutvā cāsīt suduḥkhitaḥ || 2.41.8 ||

Translation

അന്തഃപുരത്തിനകത്ത് ഉയർന്ന ആ ഭീകരമായ ആർ‍ത്തനാദം കേട്ടപ്പോൾ, പുത്രശോകത്തിൽ ഇതിനകം തന്നെ ദഹിച്ചിരുന്ന മഹീപതി കൂടുതൽ ദുഃഖിതനായി.

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• tam: that
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Accusative, Singular; object of 'śrutvā'

• antaḥpure: in the inner palace
• antaḥpure: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antaḥpura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• ghoram: terrible
• ghoram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; qualifying 'ārtaśabdam'

• ārtaśabdam: distress-cry
• ārtaśabdam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārta + śabda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; compound: ārta-śabda = cry of distress

• mahīpatiḥ: the king
• mahīpatiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; compound: mahī-pati = lord of the earth

• putraśokābhisantaptaḥ: afflicted by grief for his son
• putraśokābhisantaptaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: putra + śoka + abhi + santapta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; compound: putra-śoka-abhi-santapta = scorched/afflicted by grief for (his) son; PPP (क्त) of sam+tap with abhi

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (क्त्वा-अव्यय), 'having heard'

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• āsīt: was/became
• āsīt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Verb, Imperfect/लङ्, Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• suduḥkhitaḥ: very distressed
• suduḥkhitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su + duḥkhita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; karmadhāraya: su-duḥkhita = very sorrowful

Context

Upon hearing the dreadful wailing from the inner apartments of the palace, the king already devasted at the separation from his son, grew even more distressed.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• antaḥpura (inner palace)

FAQs

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

It reveals the human cost when dharma is experienced as conflicting duties—Daśaratha’s obligation to keep a promise leads to unbearable personal and familial suffering.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha hears the queens’ loud lamentation from within the palace and his grief intensifies.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Daśaratha’s inner struggle around duty and consequence, showing the weight of royal decisions and vowed commitments.