Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 48, Shloka 21

अयोध्यायाः शोकवर्णनम्

Ayodhya’s Lament and Civic Desolation

Devanagari script

कैकेय्या यदि चे द्राज्यं स्यादधर्म्यमनाथवत्।न हि नो जीवितेनार्थः कुतः पुत्रैः कुतो धनैः।।2.48.21।।

Transliteration

kaikeyyā yadi ced rājyaṁ syād adharmyam anāthavat |

na hi no jīvitenārthaḥ kutaḥ putraiḥ kuto dhanaiḥ || 2.48.21 ||

Translation

कैकेयीमुळे जर हे राज्य अधर्माने मिळून आम्ही अनाथांसारखे झालो, तर आम्हाला जीवनाचाच काय उपयोग? मग पुत्र कशाला, आणि धन कशाला?

Word by Word

• kaikeyyā: by Kaikeyi / under Kaikeyi
• kaikeyyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaikeyī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā (Instrumental/तृतीया), Ekavacana

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, Conditional conjunction (शर्त/निपात)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, Conjunction/particle

• rājyam: kingdom
• rājyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• syāt: should be / were to be
• syāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-liṅ/विधिलिङ्), Prathama puruṣa, Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

• adharmyam: unrighteous
• adharmyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adharmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; Viśeṣaṇa of rājyam

• anāthavat: like (being) unprotected/orphans
• anāthavat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anātha (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (तद्धित)
• Form: Avyaya-like adjectival indeclinable in -vat; used as upamā (comparison) qualifying implied state of people/kingdom

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, Negation

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, Emphasis

• naḥ: for us / our
• naḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Ṣaṣṭhī, Bahuvacana

• jīvitena: by life / with living
• jīvitena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana

• arthaḥ: purpose / value
• arthaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• kutaḥ: what use? / whence?
• kutaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kutaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, Interrogative adverb (प्रश्नवाचक)

• putraiḥ: with sons
• putraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Bahuvacana

• kutaḥ: what use?
• kutaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kutaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, Interrogative adverb

• dhanaiḥ: with wealth
• dhanaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Bahuvacana

Context

If Kaikeyi rules this kingdom unethically, we do not want to live here like orphans. What is the use of our progeny or property (in such a place)?

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Kingdom (rājya)

FAQs

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

Legitimate rule must be dharmic; when governance is perceived as adharma, worldly goals (wealth, lineage, even life) lose meaning because protection and justice are foundational.

What is the narrative situation?

The citizens fear Kaikeyī’s ascendancy and interpret Rāma’s exile as an ethical collapse of the kingdom’s order.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The citizens’ commitment to dharmic legitimacy over material prosperity—valuing righteousness above life, wealth, or family advantage.