Valmiki Ramayana 2.57.22 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 57, Shloka 22

सप्तपञ्चाशः सर्गः

Sumantra’s Return to Ayodhya and the Palace’s Lament

Devanagari script

यथा च मन्ये दुर्जीवमेवं न सुकरं ध्रुवम्।आच्छिद्य पुत्रे निर्याते कौसल्या यत्र जीवति।।।।

Transliteration

yathā ca manye durjīvam evaṃ na sukaraṃ dhruvam |

ācchidya putre niryāte kausalyā yatra jīvati ||

Translation

എനിക്ക് ഉറപ്പായി തോന്നുന്നു—മകനെ പിരിച്ചെടുത്തു പുറപ്പെട്ട ശേഷം കൗസല്യയ്ക്ക് എങ്ങനെയെങ്കിലും ജീവിച്ചു പോകുക അത്യന്തം ദുഷ്കരമാണ്.

Word by Word

• यथा: as, in whatever way
• यथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (as/in whatever way)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• मन्ये: I think
• मन्ये: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; I think/consider

• दुर्जीवम्: hard to live (a hard life)
• दुर्जीवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् + जीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: दुष्टं/कठिनं जीवम् (कर्मधारय); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; predicative ‘hard to live’

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (not)

• सुकरम्: easy
• सुकरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: सुष्ठु करम् (कर्मधारय); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; predicative ‘easy’

• ध्रुवम्: certainly
• ध्रुवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन; निश्चयार्थक (certainly)

• आच्छिद्य: having severed
• आच्छिद्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + छिद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; having cut off/severed

• पुत्रे: when the son
• पुत्रे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; Locative singular ‘when/with regard to the son’

• निर्याते: having departed
• निर्याते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + या (धातु)
• Form: क्त (PPP) पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; agreeing with ‘पुत्रे’; ‘having departed’

• कौसल्या: Kausalya
• कौसल्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौसल्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/प्रसङ्गवाचक (where/wherein)

• जीवति: lives, survives
• जीवति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; she lives/survives

Context

I think it is indeed difficult for Kausalya to live wherever and whichever way she tries as she has been separated from her son. (the queens said).

Characters & Entities

• Kausalyā
• Rāma (as 'son', implied)

FAQs

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

It underscores the human burden borne in the pursuit of dharma: righteous outcomes may still inflict intense personal suffering, which must be acknowledged truthfully (satya) and met with compassion.

What is the narrative situation?

The queens reflect on Kausalyā’s likely inability to endure life after Rāma’s departure into exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Empathy: the speakers imaginatively enter Kausalyā’s sorrow rather than treating events as mere political necessity.