Valmiki Ramayana 2.43.4: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 43, Shloka 4

कौशल्याविलापः · Kausalya’s Lament and the Vision of Rama’s Return

Devanagari script

अथ स्म नगरे रामश्चरन् भैक्षं गृहे वसेत् ।

कामकारो वरं दातुमपि दासं ममात्मजम् ॥४॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.43.4

Transliteration

atha sma nagare rāmaś caran bhaikṣaṃ gṛhe vaset |

kāmakāro varaṃ dātum api dāsaṃ mamātmajam ||4||

Translation

അവളുടെ ഇഷ്ടത്തിന് വഴങ്ങി എന്റെ പുത്രനെ ദാസനായി പോലും കൊടുത്തിരുന്നാൽ നന്നായിരുന്നു; അങ്ങനെങ്കിൽ രാമൻ എങ്കിലും നഗരത്തിൽ തന്നെ, വീട്ടിൽ വസിച്ച്, ഭിക്ഷയാൽ ജീവനം നയിച്ച് ധർമ്മകർമ്മങ്ങൾ അനുഷ്ഠിക്കുമായിരുന്നു.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रमसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb/connector (अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय)

• sma: indeed/just (particle)
• sma: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sma (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (स्म-निपात), often marking past narration/emphasis

• nagare: in the city
• nagare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nagara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular

• rāmaḥ: Rama
• rāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• caran: wandering
• caran: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: car (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; 'moving about'

• bhaikṣam: alms-food
• bhaikṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaikṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• gṛhe: in a house
• gṛhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular

• vaset: would live
• vaset: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vas (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person, Singular; parasmaipada; 'would live'

• kāma-kāraḥ: one acting at will
• kāma-kāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (understood: 'he who acts at will')
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + kāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी): 'kāmasya kāraḥ' = acting according to desire/at will

• varam: better
• varam: Prayojana/Predicative (विशेष्य-भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; used predicatively 'better'

• dātum: to give
• dātum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्)

• api: even
• api: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), concessive/emphatic

• dāsam: as a slave
• dāsam: Karma (कर्म) (object of dātum)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• ātmajam: son
• ātmajam: Karma (कर्म) (apposition to dāsam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātmaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Context

It would have been better had I offered her my son as a slave. He would have lived on in the house by doing his duties and begging his food in the city.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Kaikeyi
• Ayodhya (city)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights the human cost when dharma is violated by coercion: even humiliating compromise seems preferable to unjust banishment. It implicitly critiques decisions driven by desire rather than righteousness.

What is the narrative situation?

Kausalya imagines alternative outcomes—anything that would keep Rama within reach—after learning he must leave for the forest.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s dutifulness is assumed: even in hardship (begging), he would still ‘do what must be done’ (duty), reflecting steadfast adherence to dharma.