Valmiki Ramayana 2.53.13: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 53, Shloka 13

पञ्चाशत्तमः सर्गः (Sarga 53): Rāma’s Lament, Vigil for Sītā, and Lakṣmaṇa’s Consolation

Spoken by Rama to Lakṣmaṇa

Devanagari script

अर्थधर्मौ परित्यज्य य काममनुवर्तते ।

एवमापद्यते क्षिप्रं राजा दशरथो यथा ॥१३॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.53.13

Transliteration

artha-dharmau parityajya yaḥ kāmam anuvartate |

evam āpadyate kṣipraṃ rājā daśaratho yathā ||13||

Translation

അർത്ഥവും ധർമ്മവും ഉപേക്ഷിച്ച് കാമത്തെ പിന്തുടരുന്ന രാജാവ് ശീഘ്രം ദുരന്തത്തിലേക്ക് വീഴും—ദശരഥരാജാവിന് സംഭവിച്ചതുപോലെ.

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Word by Word

• अर्थधर्मौ: artha and dharma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ + धर्म (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Dvandva

• परित्यज्य: having abandoned
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परि + त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): ‘having abandoned’
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया-अनुबन्ध/पूर्वक्रिया)

• यः: who
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• कामम्: desire
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• अनुवर्तते: follows, pursues
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb of manner)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)

• आपद्यते: falls into, comes to (a state)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + पद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• क्षिप्रम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षिप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण द्वितीया-एकवचन (adverbial accusative)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)

• राजा: a king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• दशरथः: Dasaratha
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशरथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• यथा: as, like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (as/like)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/comparison)

Sandhi Notes

• अर्थधर्मौ = अर्थ + धर्मौ (द्वन्द्व)
• काममनुवर्तते = कामम् + अनुवर्तते
• एवमापद्यते = एवम् + आपद्यते
• क्षिप्रं राजा = क्षिप्रम् + राजा

Context

Any king who abandons dharma and artha and adopts a life of pleasure will very soon reach this state as Dasaratha has attained.

The teaching

A ruler who lets desire overrule dharma and prudent governance swiftly invites calamity for himself and his realm.

Duties in tension

• Personal desire (kāma) vs rājadharma
• Immediate gratification vs long-term artha (state welfare)
• Private promise/attachment vs public righteousness

Ethical theme

Rājadharma / nīti

How it resolves

Didactic warning (nīti)

For your practice

Viveka-sādhana: daily reflection on tri-varga balance; restraint of kāma through dharma-guided intention.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Admonitory, grave, foreboding

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Rajadharma (ethics of kingship)
• Ethics
• Itihasa

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• dharma
• artha
• kāma

FAQs

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

Rajadharma: a ruler must balance artha and dharma; when kāma dominates decision-making, the polity and family order collapse into suffering.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma generalizes Daśaratha’s predicament into a moral warning about kingship and the dangers of desire-driven governance.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s moral reasoning—he interprets events through ethical categories (artha/dharma/kāma), not merely personal grievance.