Valmiki Ramayana 2.52.46 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 52, Shloka 46

गङ्गातरणम्, सुमन्त्र-प्रतिनिवर्तनम्, जटाधारणम्

Crossing the Gaṅgā; Sumantra’s Return; Adoption of Ascetic Signs

Devanagari script

असत्यमपि नैवाहं ब्रूयां वचनमीदृशम्।कथमप्रियमेवाहं ब्रूयां सत्यमिदं वचः।।2.52.46।।

Transliteration

asatyam api naivāhaṃ brūyāṃ vacanam īdṛśam | katham apriyam evāhaṃ brūyāṃ satyam idaṃ vacaḥ ||

Translation

അസത്യമായ ഇത്തരമൊരു വാക്ക് ഞാൻ ഒരിക്കലും പറയുകയില്ല. എന്നാൽ ഈ സത്യവചനവും അത്യന്തം അപ്രിയമാണ്; ഇങ്ങനെ വേദനിപ്പിക്കുന്ന സത്യം ഞാൻ എങ്ങനെ പറയും?

Word by Word

• asatyam: untruth
• asatyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Privative a-; Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) = ‘even’

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध)

• eva: at all/indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Nominative, Singular

• brūyām: would speak
• brūyām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 1st Person, Singular; Parasmaipada

• vacanam: words/speech
• vacanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• īdṛśam: such (as this)
• īdṛśam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: īdṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; qualifies vacanam

• katham: how
• katham: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative adverb (प्रश्न-अव्यय) = ‘how?’

• apriyam: something unpleasant
• apriyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Privative a-; Neuter, Accusative, Singular; object-complement with brūyām

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Nominative, Singular (repeated)

• brūyām: would speak
• brūyām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 1st Person, Singular

• satyam: truth
• satyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; in apposition with idaṃ vacaḥ

• idam: this
• idam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; qualifies vacaḥ

• vacaḥ: speech/word
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular (stem in -as)

Context

How can I lie to her? How can I tell her the unpleasent truth?

Characters & Entities

• Sumantra
• Rāma
• satya (truth)

FAQs

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

The tension between satya (truth) and ahiṃsā/karuṇā (non-harm/compassion) is foregrounded: one must not lie, yet one must also recognize the harm a harsh truth can cause—requiring wise, gentle speech.

What is the narrative situation?

Sumantra reflects on the impossibility of either comforting Kauśalyā with a lie or hurting her with the blunt truth.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral sensitivity—Sumantra’s commitment to truth while feeling compassion for the listener.