Valmiki Ramayana 2.24.4: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 24, Shloka 4

कौशल्यारामसंवादः

Kausalya–Rama Dialogue on Exile-Dharma

Devanagari script

कः एतच्छ्रद्दधेच्छ्रुत्वा कस्य वा न भवेद्भयम्।गुणवान्दयितो राज्ञा राघवो यद्विवास्यते।।2.24.4।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.24.4

Transliteration

ka etac chraddadhec chrutvā kasya vā na bhaved bhayam |

guṇavān dayito rājñā rāghavo yad vivāsyate || 2.24.4 ||

Translation

हे ऐकून कोण विश्वास ठेवील, आणि कोणाला भय वाटणार नाही—की गुणवान व राजाचा प्रिय राघव वनवासाला पाठविला जात आहे?

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Word by Word

• kaḥ: who
• kaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्न-सर्वनाम

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• śraddadhet: would believe
• śraddadhet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śrad-dhā (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्ययभाव

• kasya: of whom/to whom
• kasya: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्न-सर्वनाम

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• bhavet: would be/arise
• bhavet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• bhayam: fear
• bhayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• guṇavān: virtuous
• guṇavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guṇavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• dayitaḥ: beloved
• dayitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dayita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• rājñā: by the king
• rājñā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• rāghavaḥ: Rama
• rāghavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• yat: that (namely)
• yat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बन्ध-अव्यय (relative particle) introducing content clause

• vivāsyate: is exiled
• vivāsyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-vas (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present, passive sense), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग: ‘is made to dwell away/exiled’

Context

Go now, O my mighty-armed son! and come back safe. And on your return, delight me with your sweet, gentle utterances.

Characters & Entities

• Kausalyā
• Rāma
• Daśaratha (implied as 'the king')

FAQs

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

The verse highlights the moral shock when royal action appears to contradict dharma: a virtuous, beloved prince being exiled by the king. It implicitly questions how rāja-dharma and personal affection can come into conflict.

What is the narrative situation?

Kausalyā reacts to the news that Rāma is to be sent to the forest; she expresses disbelief and fear at the reversal of expected justice.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s guṇa (virtue/excellence) and his being dayita (deeply loved), underscoring that the suffering falls upon the most deserving.