Shloka 9

कौसल्याविलापः

Kausalya’s Lament and Ethical Analogies on Kingship

Devanagari script

वज्रसारमयं नूनं हृदयं मे न संशयः।अपश्यन्त्या न तं यद्वै फलतीदं सहस्रधा।।2.61.9।।

Transliteration

vajra-sāramayaṃ nūnaṃ hṛdayaṃ me na saṃśayaḥ | apaśyantyā na taṃ yad vai phalatīdaṃ sahasradhā || 2.61.9 ||

Translation

എന്റെ ഹൃദയം നിശ്ചയം വജ്രസാരമയമാണ്; അവനെ കാണാതിരുന്നിട്ടും ഇത് ആയിരം കഷണങ്ങളായി പിളരുന്നില്ല—ഇതിൽ സംശയമില്ല.

Word by Word

• वज्रसारमयम्: made of thunderbolt-like essence
• वज्रसारमयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वज्रसार + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—वज्रस्य सारः इव, तेन मयम् (made of adamantine essence)

• नूनम्: surely
• नूनम्: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नूनम् (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (particle of certainty)

• हृदयम्: heart
• हृदयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• न: not
• न: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Pratijna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वाक्ये विधेय-नाम (predicate noun)

• अपश्यन्त्याः: of (me) not seeing
• अपश्यन्त्याः: Hetu/Reason (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + पश्यत् (दृश्-धातु; शतृ-प्रत्यय) (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त-प्रातिपदिक; अर्थः—(मम) अपश्यन्त्याः = of me not seeing

• न: not
• न: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम; (रामम्)

• यत्: since/that
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय (relative particle) = 'since/that' (यद्-प्रयोगः)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• फलति: splits/shatters
• फलति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: फल् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम; हृदयम् इत्यस्य पुनरुक्ति/निर्देशः

• सहस्रधा: into a thousand pieces
• सहस्रधा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रधा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारार्थक-अव्यय (adverb of manner/number)

Context

No doubt my heart must be made of thunderbolt, since unable to see Rama it does not split into a thousand pieces.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Vajra (thunderbolt, as metaphor)

FAQs

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

It shows the dharmic tension between personal anguish and moral endurance—one continues living and bearing pain even when the heart feels it should break.

What is the narrative situation?

Kausalya, separated from Rama, expresses astonishment that her heart survives the unbearable grief of not seeing him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Kausalya’s capacity to endure sorrow (kṣamā/forbearance and inner strength) is highlighted, even in lament.