Valmiki Ramayana 2.64.22: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 64, Shloka 22

शब्दवेध्य-अनर्थः, ऋषिशापः, दशरथस्य प्राणत्यागः

The Sound-Target Tragedy, the Sage’s Curse, and Dasaratha’s Death

Spoken by King DaśarathaSetting: वनाश्रमः (तपस्विनः आश्रम-परिसरः)मृगयायां/वनचर्यायां प्रसङ्गः (राज्ञः वन-गमन-प्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

स बाष्पपूर्णवदनो निश्श्वसन्शोककर्शितः ।

मामुवाच महातेजाः कृताञ्जलिमुपस्थितम् ॥२२॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.64.22

Transliteration

sa bāṣpapūrṇavadano niśśvasan śokakarśitaḥ |

mām uvāca mahātejāḥ kṛtāñjalim upasthitam ||22||

Translation

Pertapa yang bercahaya agung itu—wajahnya penuh air mata, menghela nafas, luluh oleh dukacita—berkata kepadaku ketika aku berdiri di hadapannya dengan tangan dirapatkan.

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Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma; Pumliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana
• Role: Kartṛ (कर्ता)

• bāṣpa-pūrṇa-vadanaḥ: whose face was full of tears
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bāṣpa + pūrṇa + vadana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (descriptive): 'tear-filled-face'; Pumliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; qualifies 'saḥ'
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• niśśvasan: sighing
• Type: Verb
• Root: niḥ√śvas (धातु)
• Form: Śatṛ present active participle (शतृ, वर्तमानकृदन्त); Pumliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agrees with 'saḥ'
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)

• śoka-karśitaḥ: afflicted by grief
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śoka + karśita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: 'by grief emaciated/afflicted'; Pumliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• mām: me
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma; Dvitīyā, Ekavacana
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• uvāca: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, perfect), Prathama puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• mahā-tejāḥ: of great brilliance
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi: 'one having great splendor'; Pumliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; qualifies 'saḥ'
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Compound: Bahuvrihi

• kṛta-añjalim: with folded hands
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta + añjali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: 'made-folded-hands' (=with joined palms); Pumliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; qualifies 'mām'
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• upasthitam: standing near/present
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa√sthā (धातु)
• Form: Kta PPP (क्त); Pumliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; agrees with 'mām'
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

Sandhi Notes

• बाष्पपूर्णवदनो = बाष्प + पूर्ण + वदनः
• निश्श्वसन्शोककर्शितः = निश्श्वसन् + शोककर्शितः
• मामुवाच = माम् + उवाच
• कृताञ्जलिमुपस्थितम् = कृताञ्जलिम् + उपस्थितम्

Context

The grief-stricken, glorious ascetic with his face filled with tears, heaving deep sighs broke down with grief and spoke to me as I was standing with folded palms.

The teaching

अज्ञानात् अपि हिंसा दुःख-हेतुः; तपस्वि-आश्रितेषु विशेषतः सावधानता धर्मः।

Duties in tension

• क्षत्रियस्य मृगया/रक्षा-धर्मः vs अहिंसा/तपस्वि-आश्रित-रक्षणम्
• राजधर्मः (प्रजाहित) vs व्यक्तिगत-प्रमाद-जन्य हिंसा

Ethical theme

अहिंसा/राजधर्म

How it resolves

प्रायश्चित्त-शाप-स्वीकार (फल-भोग-स्वीकृतिः)

For your practice

करुणा-भाव-शुद्धिः, अपराध-स्वीकारः, अहिंसा-संकल्पः; शोक-समये धैर्य-प्रशिक्षणम्

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Bhayanaka (fear)

Mood

अश्रुपूर्ण, विलापमय, गुरुतर-शोक

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Ethics
• Compassion
• Repentance

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Ṛṣi (sage)

FAQs

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

Dharma is approached through humility and reverence: the wrongdoer stands with folded hands, acknowledging fault and the moral authority of the ascetic.

What is the narrative situation?

The sage, overwhelmed with grief, gathers himself enough to address Daśaratha, who waits respectfully.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Humility and remorse in Daśaratha, and dignified sorrow in the ascetic.