Valmiki Ramayana 2.64.1 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 64, Shloka 1

शब्दवेध्य-अनर्थः, ऋषिशापः, दशरथस्य प्राणत्यागः

The Sound-Target Tragedy, the Sage’s Curse, and Dasaratha’s Death

Devanagari script

वधमप्रतिरूपं तु महर्षेस्तस्य राघवः।विलपन्नेव धर्मात्मा कौसल्यां पुनरब्रवीत्।।।।

Transliteration

vadham apratirūpaṃ tu maharṣes tasya rāghavaḥ | vilapann eva dharmātmā kauśalyāṃ punar abravīt || 2.64.1 ||

Translation

മഹർഷിയുടെ അത്യന്തം അനുപയോഗ്യമായ ആ വധത്തെക്കുറിച്ച് വിലപിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് ധർമ്മാത്മാവായ രാഘവൻ (ദശരഥൻ) വീണ്ടും കൗസല്യയോടു പറഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

• वधम्: killing
• वधम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अप्रतिरूपम्: unprecedented; improper
• अप्रतिरूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-pratirūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण to ‘vadham’

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• महर्षेः: of the great sage
• महर्षेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maharṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• तस्य: of that (one)
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• राघवः: Rāghava (Rama)
• राघवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विलपन्: lamenting
• विलपन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi√lap (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त, शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले (present active participle, śatṛ), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘lamenting’

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis: ‘indeed/just’)

• धर्मात्मा: the righteous-souled one
• धर्मात्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharmātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास: धर्मः आत्मा यस्य सः (‘whose nature is righteousness’); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण-रूपेण ‘rāghavaḥ’

• कौसल्याम्: to Kausalyā
• कौसल्याम्: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kausalyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म—‘to Kausalyā’ (object of speaking)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरावृत्ति-सूचक (adverb: ‘again’)

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘said/spoke’

Context

Grieving for having unfairly killed the great sage the rightenous descendant of the Raghus (Dasaratha) coutinued to tell Kausalya about it:

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kauśalyā
• Rāghava
• Maharṣi

FAQs

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

Dharma is measured by propriety and justice: the text explicitly marks the killing as “unbefitting,” reinforcing that even kings are bound by moral law.

What is the narrative situation?

The narration transitions into the next chapter as Daśaratha continues recounting his past wrongdoing to Kauśalyā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral self-scrutiny: Daśaratha’s righteousness is shown through his grief and willingness to confront his fault.