Shloka 39

Devanagari script

यदि दत्त्वा वरौ राजन्पुनः प्रत्यनुतप्यसे।धार्मिकत्वं कथं वीर पृथिव्यां कथयिष्यसि।।।।

Transliteration

yadi dattvā varau rājan punaḥ pratyanutapyase |

dhārmikatvaṃ kathaṃ vīra pṛthivyāṃ kathayiṣyasi ||

Translation

Jika, wahai Raja, setelah mengurniakan dua anugerah itu engkau menyesal kembali, maka wahai pahlawan, bagaimana engkau akan menyatakan kebenaran dharma-mu di muka bumi ini?

Word by Word

यदाwhen

समेताःassembled

बहवःmany

त्वयाwith you; by you

राजर्षयःroyal sages

सहtogether with

कथयिष्यन्तिthey will say/tell

धर्मज्ञO knower of dharma

तत्रthen; there

किम्what

प्रतिवक्ष्यसिyou will answer

Context

Then the fierce Kaikeyi used fiercer words in reply to the king who was tormented with grief and filled with tears, senses switched off, head reeling, overwhelmed with pain, beseeching again and again to ferry him across the ocean of sorrow as quickly as possible:

Characters & Entities

Kaikeyī

Daśaratha

pṛthivī (the world/earth)

FAQs

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

Satya and pledge-keeping are tied to royal dharma: a king’s righteousness is judged by fidelity to granted promises, even when painful.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī counters Daśaratha’s pleas by pressuring him to uphold the boons he once promised, invoking his public reputation for dharma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Daśaratha’s dhārmikatva is invoked as an obligation—his identity as a righteous king is made contingent on keeping his word.