Valmiki Ramayana 2.43.18: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 43, Shloka 18

कौशल्याविलापः · Kausalya’s Lament and the Vision of Rama’s Return

Devanagari script

साहं गौरिव सिंहेन विवत्सा वत्सला कृता ।

कैकेय्या पुरुषव्याघ्र बालवत्सेव गौर्बलात् ॥१८॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.43.18

Transliteration

sāhaṃ gaur iva siṃhena vivatsā vatsalā kṛtā |

kaikeyyā puruṣavyāghra bālavatsā iva gaur balāt ||18||

Translation

Wahai harimau di antara manusia, aku—seperti lembu betina yang menyayangi anaknya—telah dijadikan kehilangan anak oleh Kaikeyī, direnggut dengan paksa, seolah-olah singa merampas anak lembu dari ibunya dengan kekuatan yang ganas.

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Word by Word

• सा: I (that woman)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• गौः: a cow
• गौः: Upameya (उपमेय/Thing compared)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/comparison)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय

• सिंहेन: by a lion
• सिंहेन: Karana (करण/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siṃha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• विवत्सा: separated from her calf
• विवत्सा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vivatsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of गौः/सा)

• वत्सला: affectionate to the calf
• वत्सला: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vatsala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• कृता: was made
• कृता: Kriya (क्रिया; passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (made)

• कैकेय्या: by Kaikeyi
• कैकेय्या: Kartr (कर्ता/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaikeyī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• पुरुष-व्याघ्र: O tiger among men
• पुरुष-व्याघ्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + vyāghra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पुरुषाणां व्याघ्रः)

• बाल-वत्सा: (like) a cow with a young calf
• बाल-वत्सा: Upamana (उपमान/Standard)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bāla (प्रातिपदिक) + vatsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (बालः वत्सः यस्याः)

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/comparison)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय

• बलात्: forcibly
• बलात्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषणम् (ablative used adverbially: forcibly)

Context

O best of men! I have been forcibly separated from my affectionate son by Kaikeyi just like a cow from its calf by a lion.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyi
• Rama (implied as ‘calf’)
• Dasharatha (addressed: puruṣavyāghra)
• Lion (simile)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes protecting natural bonds of care (mother and child) and preventing coercive harm. The verse condemns forceful separation as a violation of humane order.

What is the narrative situation?

Kausalya describes the pain of losing Rama, blaming Kaikeyi for violently severing the mother–son bond.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Kausalya’s unwavering maternal devotion (vātsalya), presented as natural and sacred.