Valmiki Ramayana 2.63.54: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 63, Shloka 54
दशरथस्य शोकानुचिन्तनं शब्धवेधि-दोषस्मरणं च
Daśaratha’s grief, karmic reflection, and the remembered ‘śabdavedhī’ misdeed
इतीव वदतः कृच्छ्राद्बाणाभिहतमर्मणः ।
विघूर्णतो विचेष्टस्य वेपमानस्य भूतले ।
तस्यत्वानम्यमानस्य तं बाणमहमुद्धरम् ।
स मामुद्वीक्ष्य सन्त्रस्तो जहौ प्राणांस्तपोधनः ॥५४॥
itīva vadataḥ kṛcchrād bāṇābhihatamarmaṇaḥ |
vighūrṇato viceṣṭasya vepamānasya bhūtale |
tasyātvānamyamānasya taṃ bāṇam aham uddharam |
sa mām udvīkṣya santrasto jahau prāṇāṃs tapodhanaḥ ||54||
ഇങ്ങനെ കഷ്ടത്തോടെ സംസാരിക്കുമ്പോൾ, അമ്പ് മർമ്മസ്ഥാനത്ത് തുളച്ചവൻ വിറച്ച് കറങ്ങി നിലത്ത് പുളഞ്ഞുകിടന്നു. ഞാൻ കുനിഞ്ഞ് ആ അമ്പ് പുറത്തെടുത്തു. എന്നെ കണ്ട തപസ്വി—തപസ്സാണ് ധനം—ഭീതനായി പ്രാണൻ വിട്ടു.
While that ascetic struck by the arrow in the vital part of the body, trembling, turning and rolling on the ground writhing in pain spoke these words to me, I bent down and pulled out the arrow from his body. I was frightened when he looked up at me and gave up his life.
FAQs
Actions have irreversible consequences: even a reflexive or misguided attempt to help (pulling out the arrow) cannot undo harm already done, underscoring responsibility and the gravity of violence.
Daśaratha describes removing the arrow from the dying ascetic youth, who then looks at him in fear and dies.
Accountability through truthful narration: Daśaratha does not conceal his role or soften the causal sequence.
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