Valmiki Ramayana 2.39.3: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 39, Shloka 3

एकोनचत्वारिंशः सर्गः · Dasaratha’s Lament, Sumantra’s Commission, and Sita’s Vow of Marital Dharma

Setting: Ayodhya (royal palace)

Devanagari script

स मुहूर्तमिवासंज्ञो दुःखितश्च महीपतिः ।

विललाप महाबाहू राममेवानुचिन्तयन् ॥३॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.39.3

Transliteration

sa muhūrtam ivāsaṃjño duḥkhitaś ca mahīpatiḥ |

vilalāpa mahābāhū rāmam evānucintayan ||3||

Translation

Oprimido pela dor, o rei de poderosos braços — senhor da terra — ficou como sem sentidos por um instante e depois lamentou-se, com a mente fixa apenas em Rāma.

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Word by Word

• सः: he
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• मुहूर्तम्: for a moment
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); कालावधि (extent of time)
• Role: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)

• इव: as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा (particle of comparison ‘as if’)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• असंज्ञः: unconscious
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ- (नञ्) + संज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नञ्-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-निर्माण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• दुःखितः: grieved
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तद्धित/कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक (दुःखिन्/दुःखित); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• महीपतिः: lord of the earth (king)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: मह्याः पतिः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• विललाप: lamented
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + लप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• महाबाहुः: mighty-armed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महान् बाहुः यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• रामम्: Rama
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• एव: only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis ‘only/indeed’)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• अनुचिन्तयन्: brooding on/pondering
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (Present Active Participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)

Sandhi Notes

• इवासंज्ञो = इव + असंज्ञः
• दुःखितश्च = दुःखितः + च
• राममेव = रामम् + एव
• राममेवानुचिन्तयन् = रामम् + एव + अनुचिन्तयन्

Context

The mighty-armed king lost consciousness for a moment and in grief lamented, brooding only over Rama.

The teaching

Even sovereign power cannot shield one from the consequences of binding promises and attachment-driven sorrow.

Duties in tension

• Keeping pledged boons/truth to Kaikeyī
• Protecting and enthroning beloved son
• Kingly duty to stability vs personal anguish

Ethical theme

Truth-keeping (satya) vs familial duty

How it resolves

Tragic compliance leading to personal ruin

For your practice

Invites contemplation on vairāgya and the cost of attachment; suitable for śoka-śānti reflection.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Bhayanaka (fear)

Mood

Shattered, lamenting, dazed

Themes

• Itihasa
• Dharma
• Grief
• Kingship
• Paternal affection

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Rāma

FAQs

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

The verse highlights the human cost of dharmic decisions: even a righteous king can be broken by sorrow when duty and affection collide. It frames Daśaratha’s suffering as part of the moral gravity surrounding Rāma’s exile.

What is the narrative situation?

After the developments leading to Rāma’s departure for the forest, Daśaratha is overcome by grief and briefly becomes almost unconscious, lamenting while thinking only of Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Daśaratha’s deep paternal love (vātsalya) is emphasized, alongside the implied burden of royal duty that has brought him to this crisis.