Shloka 19

कौसल्याविलापः

Kausalya’s Lament and Ethical Analogies on Kingship

Devanagari script

न चेमां धर्षणां राम सङ्गच्छेदत्यमर्षणः।दारयेन्मन्दरमपि स हि क्रुद्धश्शितैश्शरैः।।2.61.19।।

Transliteration

na cemāṃ dharṣaṇāṃ rāma saṅgacched atyamarṣaṇaḥ |

dārayen mandaram api sa hi kruddhaḥ śitaiḥ śaraiḥ || 2.61.19 ||

Translation

ഹേ രാമാ, അദമ്യധൈര്യമുള്ള നീ ഇത്തരമൊരു അപമാനം ഒരിക്കലും സമ്മതിക്കുകയില്ല; കോപിച്ചാൽ മൂർച്ചയുള്ള അമ്പുകളാൽ മന്ദരപർവ്വതം പോലും പിളർത്താൻ കഴിയും.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• imām: this
• imām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; धर्षणाम् इति विशेषण

• dharṣaṇām: insult/indignity
• dharṣaṇām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharṣaṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• rāma: O Rama
• rāma: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• saṅgacchet: would tolerate/accept
• saṅgacchet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√gam (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ati-amarṣaṇaḥ: highly intolerant (of insult)
• ati-amarṣaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ati (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + amarṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (intensifying: ‘very unforbearing’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषण

• dārayet: would split
• dārayet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• mandaram: Mount Mandara
• mandaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mandara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपि-कारक निपात (even/also)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (indeed/for)

• kruddhaḥ: angered
• kruddhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kruddha (प्रातिपदिक; √krudh क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषण

• śitaiḥ: with sharp
• śitaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; शरैः इति विशेषण

• śaraiḥ: arrows
• śaraiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

Context

Your great fame has spread all over the three worlds. People know you as compassionate, generous and sweet-speaking scion of the Raghus.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Mandara

FAQs

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

Dharma includes defending honor and justice; the righteous may restrain themselves, but they do not legitimize humiliation or adharma by passive acceptance.

What is the narrative situation?

The speaker warns that forcing dishonor upon Rāma risks provoking immense power, underscoring the gravity of the injustice.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s steadfastness and controlled strength—capable of overwhelming force, yet fundamentally oriented to righteousness.