Valmiki Ramayana 2.52.45: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 52, Shloka 45

गङ्गातरणम्, सुमन्त्र-प्रतिनिवर्तनम्, जटाधारणम्

Crossing the Gaṅgā; Sumantra’s Return; Adoption of Ascetic Signs

Devanagari script

अहं किं चापि वक्ष्यामि देवीं तव सुतो मया।नीतोऽसौ मातुलकुलं सन्तापं मा कृथा इति।।2.52.45।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.52.45

Transliteration

ahaṃ kiṃ cāpi vakṣyāmi devīṃ tava suto mayā | nīto ’sau mātula-kulaṃ santāpaṃ mā kṛthā iti ||

Translation

मी देवी कौसल्येला काय सांगू—‘तुमचा पुत्र मी मामा-घराण्यात नेला आहे, दुःख करू नका’—जणू तेच सत्य आहे?

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Word by Word

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Nominative (1st), Singular

• kim: what
• kim: Karma (कर्म; of vakṣyāmi)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative pronoun used adverbially; Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; ‘what?’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय) = ‘and’

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) = ‘even/also’

• vakṣyāmi: will say
• vakṣyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Future (लृट्), 1st Person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular; Parasmaipada

• devīm: the queen
• devīm: Sampradāna/Karma (सम्प्रदान/कर्म; addressee)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; here = queen (Kauśalyā)

• tava: your
• tava: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Genitive (6th), Singular

• sutaḥ: son
• sutaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; of implied ‘asti’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karta (कर्ता; in passive with nītaḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Instrumental (3rd), Singular

• nītaḥ: has been taken
• nītaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया; भूत)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nīta (कृदन्त, √nī)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त); Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• asau: that one/he
• asau: Karta (कर्ता; of implied ‘asti’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Demonstrative pronoun; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• mātula-kulam: to the maternal uncle’s house
• mātula-kulam: Karma (कर्म; गत्यर्थक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātula (प्रातिपदिक) + kula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa = ‘maternal-uncle’s family/house’; Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; goal of motion

• santāpam: grief
• santāpam: Karma (कर्म; object of kṛthāḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: santāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• mā: do not
• mā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mā (अव्यय)
• Form: Prohibitive particle (निषेध) used with imperative/optative

• kṛthāḥ: make
• kṛthāḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd Person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular; Ātmanepada; ‘do/make’

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (उद्धरण-निपात)

Context

What shall I say to Kausalya? Shall I say 'O venerable queen! I have left your son at his maternal uncle's, hence don't grieve'.

Characters & Entities

• Sumantra
• Rāma
• Kauśalyā

FAQs

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

Satya (truthfulness) is central: Sumantra refuses to mask a painful reality with a convenient falsehood, even if the lie might momentarily reduce grief.

What is the narrative situation?

Sumantra worries about how he can face Kauśalyā in Ayodhyā and report that Rāma is gone to the forest.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Integrity in speech (satya) joined with compassion—he fears causing pain, yet will not deceive.