Valmiki Ramayana 2.63.15 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 63, Shloka 15

दशरथस्य शोकानुचिन्तनं शब्धवेधि-दोषस्मरणं च

Daśaratha’s grief, karmic reflection, and the remembered ‘śabdavedhī’ misdeed

Devanagari script

उपास्य च रसान्भौमां स्तप्त्वा च जगदंशुभिः।परेताचरितां भीमां रविराविशते दिशम्।।2.63.15।।

Transliteration

upāsya ca rasān bhaumān staptvā ca jagad aṃśubhiḥ | paretācaritāṃ bhīmāṃ ravir āviśate diśam || 2.63.15 ||

Translation

ഭൂമിയിലെ രസങ്ങളെ ആകർഷിച്ച്, തന്റെ കിരണങ്ങളാൽ ലോകത്തെ ചുട്ടുതപിപ്പിച്ച ശേഷം, സൂര്യൻ ഭയാനകമായ ദക്ഷിണദിക്കിലേക്ക് പ്രവേശിച്ചു—അത് പരലോകഗതരുടെ സഞ്ചാരപഥമെന്നു പറയപ്പെടുന്നു.

Word by Word

• upāsya: having sucked/drunk up
• upāsya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-ās (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), from धातु upa-ās; ‘having approached/served/attended’ (here: having drunk up)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• rasān: juices/saps
• rasān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• bhaumān: earthly/of the earth
• bhaumān: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhauma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); adjective qualifying rasān

• staptvā: having scorched
• staptvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tap (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), from धातु tap; ‘having heated/scorched’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• jagad-aṃśubhiḥ: with the world-illuminating rays
• jagad-aṃśubhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक) + aṃśu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): जगतः अंशुभिः; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• paretācaritām: frequented by departed spirits
• paretācaritām: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pareta (प्रातिपदिक) + carita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): परेतैः चरिता; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying diśam

• bhīmām: terrible/fearful
• bhīmām: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhīma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying diśam

• raviḥ: the sun
• raviḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ravi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• āviśate: enters
• āviśate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-viś (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• diśam: direction/quarter
• diśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

Context

At that time the heat subsided, glistening clouds appeared. The frogs, geese and peacocks began to rejoice.

Characters & Entities

• Sun (Ravi/Sūrya)
• Southern quarter (Dakṣiṇā diś)

FAQs

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

Dharma is framed as cosmic order: time moves inevitably, and human beings must act rightly within that order, remembering life’s impermanence and accountability.

What is the narrative situation?

The verse sets the time of day/seasonal transition: the sun sets toward the southern quarter, a traditional direction associated with Yama and the departed.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

A reflective sobriety is emphasized—recognizing the inevitability of time and death, which underlies responsible, truth-bound action (satya) in the human sphere.