Valmiki Ramayana 2.42.30: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 42, Shloka 30

द्विचत्वारिंशः सर्गः · दशरथस्य शोक-विलापः तथा कौशल्यागृह-प्रवेशः

Dasaratha’s Lament and Return to Kausalya’s Apartments

Devanagari script

पुत्रद्वयविहीनं च स्नुषयापि विवर्जितम् ।

अपश्यद्भवनं राजा नष्टचन्द्रमिवाम्बरम् ॥३०॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.42.30

Transliteration

putradvayavihīnaṃ ca snuṣayāpi vivarjitam |

apaśyad bhavanaṃ rājā naṣṭacandram ivāmbaram ||30||

Translation

രണ്ടു പുത്രന്മാരും മരുമകളും വിട്ടൊഴിഞ്ഞ ശൂന്യമായ കൊട്ടാരം രാജാവ് കണ്ടു—ചന്ദ്രനില്ലാത്ത ആകാശംപോലെ.

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Word by Word

• putra-dvaya-vihīnam: devoid of the two sons
• putra-dvaya-vihīnam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक) + dvaya (प्रातिपदिक) + vihīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (भवनम्); समासः—तत्पुरुष (पुत्रयोः द्वयेन विहीनम्)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• snuṣayā: by the daughter-in-law
• snuṣayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snuṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (also/even)

• vivarjitam: deprived/deserted
• vivarjitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi√vṛj (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (भवनम्)

• apaśyat: saw
• apaśyat: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √paś (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• bhavanam: palace/house
• bhavanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• naṣṭa-candram: moonless (with the moon gone)
• naṣṭa-candram: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: naṣṭa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √naś क्त) + candra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (अम्बरम्); समासः—तत्पुरुष (नष्टः चन्द्रः यस्मिन् तत्)

• iva: like
• iva: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय

• ambaram: sky
• ambaram: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ambara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Context

To the king, the palace deserted by his two sons and his daughter-in-law, seemed like the sky without the Moon.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Sītā
• Ayodhyā (palace)

FAQs

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

The verse indirectly underscores dharma’s cost: righteous choices (Rāma’s adherence to truth and duty) can produce profound worldly suffering for those left behind, yet dharma remains the axis around which the narrative turns.

What is the narrative situation?

After Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, and Sītā have departed, Daśaratha confronts the emptiness of the palace and is overwhelmed by the absence of his beloved family.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s steadfastness to dharma is implied by the consequence: his departure creates the ‘moonless sky’ of Ayodhyā for Daśaratha.