Valmiki Ramayana 2.62.21 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 62, Shloka 21

अयोध्याकाण्डे द्विषष्टितमः सर्गः

Kausalyā consoles Daśaratha; grief, remorse, and nightfall

Devanagari script

तथा प्रसादितो वाक्यैर्देव्या कौसल्यया नृपः।शोकेन च समाक्रान्तो निद्राया वशन्तोमेयिवान्।।।।

Transliteration

tathā prasādito vākyair devyā kausalyayā nṛpaḥ | śokena ca samākrānto nidrāyā vaśam ety ivān ||

Translation

Demikianlah, setelah ditenteramkan oleh kata-kata Permaisuri Kausalyā, raja—meski masih dikepung dukacita—seakan-akan jatuh di bawah kuasa lena.

Word by Word

• tathā: thus, in that way
• tathā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (manner)

• prasāditaḥ: consoled, soothed
• prasāditaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√sad (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana; 'having been pleased/soothed'

• vākyaiḥ: by words
• vākyaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Tṛtīyā (Instrumental), Bahu-vacana

• devyā: by the queen
• devyā: Karaṇa (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Eka-vacana

• kausalyayā: by Kausalya
• kausalyayā: Karaṇa (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kausalyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Eka-vacana

• nṛpaḥ: the king
• nṛpaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana

• śokena: by grief
• śokena: Karaṇa (Instrument/cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śoka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Eka-vacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• samākrāntaḥ: overcome
• samākrāntaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-√kram (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana; 'overcome/assailed'

• nidrāyāḥ: of sleep
• nidrāyāḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nidrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Eka-vacana

• vaśam: control, sway
• vaśam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Eka-vacana

• etya: having come to
• etya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√i (धातु) + lyap (ल्यप्)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त), meaning 'having come/attained'

• ivān: as if
• ivān: Sambandha (Particle relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय) + nu (enclitic)
• Form: Avyaya; iva + emphatic particle (nu/ān) used for comparison/emphasis

Context

The great king, the lord with a broken heart started regretting deeply about both the grievous acts he had committed previously (one is shooting at the son of a sage and the other, banishing Rama).

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kausalyā

FAQs

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

It affirms the dharma of care within family: timely, truthful consolation can restore a suffering person enough to rest and endure.

What is the narrative situation?

After Kausalyā’s consoling speech, Daśaratha—though still grieving—finally drifts toward sleep as the sarga closes.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Kausalyā’s compassionate steadiness and the king’s human vulnerability under the weight of duty and loss.