Valmiki Ramayana 2.64.53: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 64, Shloka 53

शब्दवेध्य-अनर्थः, ऋषिशापः, दशरथस्य प्राणत्यागः

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

Addressed to King DaśarathaSetting: वन-प्रदेश (घटना-स्थल)

Devanagari script

अद्यैव जहिं मां राजन्मरणे नास्ति मे व्यथा ।

यच्छरेणैकपुत्रं मां त्वमकर्षीरपुत्रकम् ॥५३॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.64.53

Transliteration

adyaiva jahi māṃ rājan maraṇe nāsti me vyathā |

yat śareṇaika-putraṃ māṃ tvam akārṣīr aputrakam ||53||

Translation

Zabij mnie jeszcze dziś, o królu, śmierć nie przynosi mi bólu, ponieważ swoją strzałą uczyniłeś mnie, który miałem tylko jednego syna, pozbawionym potomka.

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Word by Word

• अद्य: today
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)
• Role: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/निश्चयार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)
• Role: Sambandha/Avyaya (अव्यय)

• जहि: slay
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; imperative 2nd sg
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• माम्: me
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative singular
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)

• मरणे: in death
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; locative singular
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)
• Role: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)

• अस्ति: is
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; present 3rd sg
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• मे: to me
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचन रूप (enclitic); here dative/genitive sense ‘to me/for me’
• Role: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)

• व्यथा: pain
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• यत्: since
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: हेतौ अव्ययीभूत (conjunction-like ‘since/because’)
• Role: Hetu (हेतु)

• शरेण: with an arrow
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; instrumental singular
• Role: Karana (करण)

• एकपुत्रम्: having only one son
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: एकः पुत्रः यस्य; पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; adjective of माम्
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• माम्: me
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• त्वम्: you
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• अकार्षीः: you made/rendered
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (अद्यतनभूत), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; aorist 2nd sg
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• अपुत्रकम्: childless
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्) + पुत्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; adjective complement to माम्
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

Sandhi Notes

• अद्यैव→अद्य एव
• नास्ति→न अस्ति
• यच्छरेण→यत् शरेण
• एकपुत्रं→एकपुत्रम्
• त्वमकर्षीः→त्वम् अकार्षीः

Context

'Kill me, O king! with the same arrow by which you rendered me childless. Death holds no pain for me.

The teaching

Duties in tension

• पिता का न्याय-आग्रह/प्रतिशोध बनाम क्षमा/करुणा
• राजा का दण्ड-स्वीकार बनाम राज्य-कर्तव्य (स्व-रक्षा/प्रजा-पालन)

Ethical theme

न्याय/प्रायश्चित्त

How it resolves

Curse/prophetic retribution rather than immediate killing

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Raudra (fury)

Mood

Raw grief, accusatory, desperate

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Itihasa
• Ethics
• Grief
• Retribution
• Justice

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• ascetic (tāpasa)

FAQs

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

The verse foregrounds the ethical weight of causing irreparable harm: the loss of an only child is portrayed as a moral catastrophe demanding answerability.

What is the narrative situation?

The bereaved ascetic confronts Daśaratha and, in anguish, asks to be killed as well, since he is now childless.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Truthful expression of suffering (satya in speech), though sharpened by grief and a demand for retribution.