Valmiki Ramayana 2.64.71: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 64, Shloka 71

शब्दवेध्य-अनर्थः, ऋषिशापः, दशरथस्य प्राणत्यागः

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

Spoken by Dasharatha to KausalyaSetting: Ayodhyā palace (implied)

Devanagari script

सदृशं शारदस्येन्दोः पुल्लस्य कमलस्य च ।

सुगन्धि मम नाथस्य धन्या द्रक्ष्यन्ति तन्मुखम् ॥७१॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.64.71

Transliteration

sadṛśaṃ śāradasyendoḥ pullasya kamalasya ca |

sugandhi mama nāthasya dhanyā drakṣyanti tanmukham ||71||

Translation

ശരദ്കാലചന്ദ്രനുപമവും പൂർണ്ണവികസിത കമലസദൃശവും സുഗന്ധിതവുമായ എന്റെ നാഥന്റെ മുഖം ദർശിക്കുന്നവർ ധന്യർ.

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Word by Word

• sadṛśam: similar
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sadṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; agrees with mukham
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• śāradasya: of autumnal (season)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śārada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; qualifies indoḥ
• Role: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)

• indoḥ: of the moon
• Type: Noun
• Root: indu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana
• Role: Upamāna-ṣaṣṭhī (उपमान-षष्ठी)

• pullasya: of the fully-bloomed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pulla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (as kamala is napuṃsaka), Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; qualifies kamalasya
• Role: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)

• kamalasya: of the lotus
• Type: Noun
• Root: kamala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana
• Role: Upamāna-ṣaṣṭhī (उपमान-षष्ठी)

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (समुच्चय-निपात, conjunction)
• Role: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)

• su-gandhi: fragrant
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + gandhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; agrees with mukham
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• mama: my
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana (genitive pronoun)
• Role: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)

• nāthasya: of (my) lord/master
• Type: Noun
• Root: nātha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana
• Role: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)

• dhanyāḥ: the blessed (people)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Prathamā, Bahuvacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• drakṣyanti: will see
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ (future), 3rd person, plural
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• tat-mukham: that face
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; कर्मधारयः (tat eva mukham)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

Sandhi Notes

• śāradasyēndōḥ → śāradasya indoḥ
• tanmukham → tat-mukham

Context

Fortunate indeed are the men who will behold my son's fragrant countenance camparable to the autmnal Moon and the full-blown lotus.

The teaching

When duty enforces distance, the mind can transmute pain into pure contemplation of virtue and beauty, sustaining dharma without collapse.

Duties in tension

• Maternal love seeking presence
• Upholding exile as consequence of royal promise and Rāma’s obedience

Ethical theme

Dharma-sankata managed through smṛti (remembrance)

How it resolves

Sublimation into aesthetic/devotional contemplation

Devotion and practice

Rūpa-dhyāna (meditation on auspicious form) as a stabilizer in grief; supports bhakti through imagery (candra-kamala).

Deity praised

Rāma

Form of praise

Stuti (a hymn of praise)

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shringara (love), with Karuna (compassion)

Mood

Fragrant, luminous, wistful

Themes

• Dharma
• Itihasa
• Poetic imagery
• Separation
• Auspiciousness

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Rāma
• Kausalyā
• Lotus

FAQs

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

It reflects how dharmic excellence becomes ‘auspicious’ for society—Rama’s very presence is imagined as purifying and life-sustaining.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha continues praising Rama’s qualities while grieving that he himself will not see him again.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Gentleness and purity—Rama is compared to cooling, beneficent natural symbols (moon, lotus).