Valmiki Ramayana 2.62.8 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 62, Shloka 8

अयोध्याकाण्डे द्विषष्टितमः सर्गः

Kausalyā consoles Daśaratha; grief, remorse, and nightfall

Devanagari script

भर्ता तु खलु नारीणां गुणवान्निर्गुणोऽपि वा।धर्मं विमृशमानानां प्रत्यक्षं देवि दैवतम्।।।।

Transliteration

bhartā tu khalu nārīṇāṃ guṇavān nirguṇo ’pi vā |

dharmaṃ vimṛśamānānāṃ pratyakṣaṃ devi daivatam ||

Translation

ദേവീ, ധർമ്മം വിചാരിക്കുന്ന സ്ത്രീകൾക്കു ഭർത്താവ്—ഗുണവാനായാലും ഗുണഹീനനായാലും—പ്രത്യക്ഷ ദൈവതുല്യനായി പൂജ്യനാകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• भर्ता: husband
• भर्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; Nominative singular masculine

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrastive particle)

• खलु: indeed
• खलु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• नारीणाम्: of women
• नारीणाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग; Genitive plural feminine

• गुणवान्: virtuous
• गुणवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुणवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; Nominative singular masculine

• निर्गुणः: without virtues
• निर्गुणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; Nominative singular masculine

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (concessive: even)

• वा: or
• वा: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive: or)

• धर्मम्: dharma/righteousness
• धर्मम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; Accusative singular masculine

• विमृशमानानाम्: of those who reflect upon
• विमृशमानानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + मृश् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शानच्), षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सामान्य-प्रयोग); Genitive plural of present participle (of those considering)

• प्रत्यक्षम्: visible, manifest
• प्रत्यक्षम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रत्यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; Accusative singular neuter (as predicate/attribute)

• देवि: O lady
• देवि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग; Vocative singular feminine

• दैवतम्: a deity, god
• दैवतम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; Neuter singular (predicate nominative/accusative)

Context

O Devi! for women who have regard for righteousness, a husband, whether virtuous or not, is a god incarnate.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kausalyā

FAQs

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

The verse articulates a traditional strīdharma ideal: honoring the marital bond as a sacred duty, treating the husband as a ‘present divinity’ within a dharma-oriented life.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha attempts to restrain Kausalyā’s anger and grief by invoking conventional dharma norms regarding a wife’s regard for her husband.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Dharma-mindedness (dharma-vicāra): the discipline of letting ethical commitments guide speech and conduct even under emotional strain.