Valmiki Ramayana 2.64.17 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 64, Shloka 17

शब्दवेध्य-अनर्थः, ऋषिशापः, दशरथस्य प्राणत्यागः

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

Devanagari script

भगवच्छशब्दमालक्ष्य मया गजजिघांसुना।विसृप्टोऽम्भसि नाराचस्तेन ते निहतस्सुतः।।।।

Transliteration

bhagavacchaśabdam ālakṣya mayā gajajighāṃsunā | visṛṣṭo 'mbhasi nārācas tena te nihataḥ sutaḥ ||

Translation

ഭഗവൻ, ഗജത്തെ കൊല്ലുവാൻ ആഗ്രഹിച്ച് ജലത്തിലെ ആ ‘ഭഗവൻ’ എന്ന ശബ്ദത്തെ ലക്ഷ്യമാക്കി ഞാൻ മൂർച്ചയുള്ള അമ്പ് വിട്ടു; അതിനാൽ നിങ്ങളുടെ പുത്രൻ വധിക്കപ്പെട്ടു.

Word by Word

• भगवत्: of you (venerable)
• भगवत्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; ‘of the venerable one’

• शब्दम्: sound
• शब्दम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आलक्ष्य: having aimed at
• आलक्ष्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + लक्ष् (धातु) → आलक्ष्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप् (Absolutive/Gerund); ‘having aimed at/observed’

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया, एकवचन

• गजजिघांसुना: (by me) intending to kill an elephant
• गजजिघांसुना: Kartr-viseshana (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गज + जिघांसु (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘wishing to kill an elephant’); पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् ‘मया’ (agent qualifier)

• विसृष्टः: was released
• विसृष्टः: Kriya (क्रिया as participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + सृज् (धातु) → विसृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘was released’ (नाराचः)

• अम्भसि: in the water
• अम्भसि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्भस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन

• नाराचः: arrow
• नाराचः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाराच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तेन: by that
• तेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया, एकवचन

• ते: your
• ते: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• निहतः: killed, struck down
• निहतः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + हन् (धातु) → निहत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् ‘सुतः’

• सुतः: son
• सुतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

O venerable one! I released an arrow towards the water aiming at the sound intending to kill an elephant but it hit your son.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• arrow (nārāca)
• water (ambhas)
• Śravaṇa (the son)
• elephant (gaja, intended target)

FAQs

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

Full disclosure (satya) to the injured party: dharma requires naming the act, intent, and consequence without euphemism, enabling just moral reckoning.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha explicitly states that his arrow—shot at a sound—killed the sage’s son.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Accountability—he directly attributes the death to his own released arrow.