Shloka 17

अष्टपञ्चाशः सर्गः (Sarga 58)

Daśaratha Questions Sumantra; Messages from the Forest Threshold

Devanagari script

माता च मम कौसल्या कुशलं चाभिवादनम्।अप्रमादं च वक्तव्या ब्रूयाश्चैनामिदं वचः।।।।

Transliteration

mātā ca mama kausalyā kuśalaṁ cābhivādanam |

apramādaṁ ca vaktavyā brūyāś cainām idaṁ vacaḥ ||

Translation

എന്റെ മാതാവ് കൗസല്യയ്ക്കും എന്റെ കുശലവും അഭിവാദ്യവും അറിയിക്കണം; അവൾ അപ്രമാദമായി ജാഗ്രതയോടെ ഇരിക്കണമെന്ന് പറയുക, ഈ വചനവും അവൾക്കു ചൊല്ലുക।

Word by Word

• mātā: mother
• mātā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• ca: and
• ca: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• kausalyā: Kausalyā
• kausalyā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kausalyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• kuśalam: welfare
• kuśalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuśala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• ca: and
• ca: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• abhivādanam: salutation
• abhivādanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhivādana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• apramādam: carefulness/alertness
• apramādam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-pramāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• ca: and
• ca: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• vaktavyā: is to be told (should be addressed)
• vaktavyā: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग; कर्तृवाच्ये ‘she is to be told’ (i.e., you should tell her)

• brūyāḥ: you should say/tell
• brūyāḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ् (optative/imperative sense), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• enām: her
• enām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; विशेषण to vacaḥ

• vacaḥ: speech/words
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

Context

'O mother, adhering to the righteous path and performing in time the rituals in the chamber of sacrificial fire, offer your services at the feet of king Dasaratha as if he were a god.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sūta (charioteer)
• Kauśalyā

FAQs

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

Dharma includes responsible counsel: Rāma not only offers respect but also advises apramāda (alertness), a moral discipline essential for sustaining righteousness amid crisis.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma sends a specific message to his mother Kauśalyā through the charioteer.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s thoughtful care and dutiful concern for his mother’s conduct and well-being are emphasized.