Valmiki Ramayana 2.51.2: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 51, Shloka 2

अयोध्याकाण्डे एकपञ्चाशः सर्गः · Guha’s Vigil and Lakṣmaṇa’s Lament

Night on the riverbank

Spoken by Kausalya to RamaSetting: Ayodhyā (royal quarters)

Devanagari script

इयं तात सुखा शय्या त्वदर्थमुपकल्पिता ।

प्रत्याश्वसिहि साध्वस्यां राजपुत्र यथासुखम् ॥२॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.51.2

Transliteration

iyaṃ tāta sukhā śayyā tvadartham upakalpitā |

pratyāśvasihi sādhv asyāṃ rājaputra yathāsukham ||2||

Translation

O księżę, to przyjemne łoże zostało przygotowane dla ciebie; spocznij na nim w pokoju, zgodnie z twoją wolą.

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Word by Word

• इयम्: this
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: कर्ता

• तात: dear (sir)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन
• Role: सम्बोधन (Address)

• सुखा: comfortable
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; शय्या इत्यस्य विशेषण
• Role: कर्ता-विशेषण

• शय्या: bed
• Type: Noun
• Root: शय्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: कर्ता

• त्वदर्थम्: for your sake
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (for your sake); अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (indeclinable)
• Role: प्रयोजन (Purpose)
• Compound: Avyayibhava

• उपकल्पिता: has been arranged
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + कल्प् (धातु) + उपकल्पित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; शय्या इत्यस्य विधेय
• Role: क्रिया-सम्बन्ध (Predicate participle)

• प्रत्याश्वसि: rest / take comfort
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + आ + श्वस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: क्रिया (Command)

• हि: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: emphasis)
• Role: निपात

• साधु: well
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साधु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: ‘well’)
• Role: क्रियाविशेषण

• अस्याम्: on this (bed)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन
• Role: अधिकरण

• राजपुत्र: O prince
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (राज्ञः पुत्रः); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन
• Role: सम्बोधन
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• यथा-सुखम्: comfortably
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (as comfortably as possible); अव्ययवत् प्रयोग
• Role: क्रियाविशेषण
• Compound: Avyayibhava

Sandhi Notes

• त्वदर्थमुपकल्पिता = त्वदर्थम् + उपकल्पिता
• प्रत्याश्वसिहि = प्रत्याश्वसि + हि
• साध्वस्यां = साधु + अस्याम्
• यथासुखम् = यथा + सुखम् (अव्ययीभाव)

Context

O dear prince! this comfortable bed has been arranged for you. Rest happily on this bed.

The teaching

Even amid calamity, sustaining the body and mind through measured rest enables right action and service.

Duties in tension

• Kṣatriya-dharma (action/persuasion to restore order) vs. personal grief and need for rest
• Sevā to elder brother vs. urgency of political crisis

Ethical theme

Care/compassion (anukampā) supporting dharma

How it resolves

Pragmatic compassion (temporary repose to sustain dharma-action)

For your practice

Cultivates sevā-bhāva and gentle speech (mādhurya) even in distress; a model for compassionate caregiving.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Solicitous, weary, gentle

Themes

• Dharma
• Maryada
• Itihasa
• Ethics

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma

FAQs

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

Compassionate care and hospitality toward one’s rightful, beloved kin—supporting another’s well-being even amid looming hardship.

What is the narrative situation?

Within Ayodhyā’s tense palace atmosphere before the exile crisis fully unfolds, a maternal figure urges the prince to rest on a bed prepared for him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Maternal tenderness and sāttvika concern—providing comfort and stability through proper conduct.