Shloka 26

कौसल्याविलापः

Kausalya’s Lament and Ethical Analogies on Kingship

Devanagari script

द्विजातिचरितो धर्मश्शास्त्रदृष्टस्सनातनः।यदि ते धर्मनिरते त्वया पुत्रे विवासिते।।2.61.26।।

Transliteration

dvijāticarito dharmaḥ śāstradṛṣṭaḥ sanātanaḥ | yadi te dharmanirate tvayā putre vivāsite || 2.61.26 ||

Translation

ശാസ്ത്രങ്ങളിൽ ദർശിതവും ദ്വിജന്മാർ ആചരിക്കുന്നതുമായ സനാതനധർമ്മം നിനക്കൊപ്പമുണ്ടെങ്കിൽ, ധർമ്മനിഷ്ഠനായ നിന്റെ പുത്രനെ നീ എങ്ങനെ വനവാസത്തിലേക്ക് അയച്ചു?

Word by Word

• द्विजाति-चरितः: practised by the twice-born
• द्विजाति-चरितः: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्विजाति (प्रातिपदिक) + चरित (कृदन्त; √चर् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कृदन्त-भूतकृत् (past passive participle) ‘चरित’ = ‘followed/practised’; तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः) ‘द्विजातीनां चरितः’

• धर्मः: dharma, righteousness
• धर्मः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• शास्त्र-दृष्टः: attested in the scriptures
• शास्त्र-दृष्टः: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + दृष्ट (कृदन्त; √दृश् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कृदन्त-भूतकृत् (PPP) ‘दृष्ट’ = ‘seen/attested’; तत्पुरुषः (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः) ‘शास्त्रे दृष्टः’

• सनातनः: eternal, ancient
• सनातनः: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• यदि: if
• यदि: सम्बन्ध (Logical connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय; शर्तार्थक (conditional particle)

• ते: of you, your
• ते: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• धर्म-निरते: (O you) devoted to dharma
• धर्म-निरते: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + निरत (कृदन्त; √रम् धातु, नि-उपसर्ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/सप्तमी?—रूपतः सप्तमी (7th/Locative) एकवचन ‘निरते’; कृदन्त (past participial adjective) ‘engaged/devoted’; तत्पुरुषः (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः) ‘धर्मे निरतः’

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: करण (Karana/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental) एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पुत्रे: in/with regard to (your) son
• पुत्रे: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative) एकवचन

• विवासिते: when (he) has been banished
• विवासिते: क्रियाविशेषण (Locative absolute/सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√वस् (धातु) → विवासित (कृदन्त; causative/णिच् + PPP)
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकृत् (PPP) ‘विवासित’ = ‘banished/caused to dwell away’; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative) एकवचन; ‘पुत्रे विवासिते’ = locative absolute (सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)

Context

You have banished your son who is devoted to righteousness. Is it in accordance with the scriptures and the eternal tradition followed by the twice-born?

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Śāstra
• Rāma
• Daśaratha
• Dvijāti (twice-born)

FAQs

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

Dharma must align with śāstra and enduring moral tradition; banishing a dharma-devoted son is presented as incompatible with that standard, implying that ‘dharma’ cannot be invoked to justify an act that contradicts its own scriptural-ethical foundations.

What is the narrative situation?

Kausalyā challenges Daśaratha’s justification of the exile, questioning whether his decision can truly be called dharmic according to śāstric norms.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s steadfastness in dharma (dharmanirata) is foregrounded as the key reason the exile appears ethically indefensible.