Valmiki Ramayana 2.12.47 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 47

द्वादशः सर्गः — Kaikeyi’s Boons and Dasaratha’s Moral Collapse

Ayodhya Kanda 12

Devanagari script

अहं हि विषमद्यैव पीत्वा बहु तवाग्रतः।पश्यतस्ते मरिष्यामि रामो यद्यभिषिच्यते।।।।

Transliteration

ahaṃ hi viṣam adyaiva pītvā bahu tavāgrataḥ |

paśyatas te mariṣyāmi rāmo yady abhiṣicyate || 2.12.47 ||

Translation

Если Рама будет помазан на царство, я действительно умру сегодня же, выпив много яда прямо перед тобой, на твоих глазах.

Word by Word

• aham: I
• aham: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle: 'indeed/for')

• viṣam: poison
• viṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• adya: today
• adya: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time: 'today')

• eva: itself/just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (restrictive particle: 'only/just')

• pītvā: having drunk
• pītvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), 'having drunk'

• bahu: much/excessive
• bahu: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) of viṣam

• tava: your
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• agrataḥ: in your presence
• agrataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: agrataḥ (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-निपात)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: 'in front/presence')

• paśyataḥ: as (you) watch
• paśyataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive absolute-like)
• Type: Verb
• Root: paśyat (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक from dṛś/paś)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; 'while (you) are watching'

• te: of you
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (Gen./Dat.), एकवचन; here with paśyataḥ = Genitive 'of you'

• mariṣyāmi: I will die
• mariṣyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: mṛ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future/भविष्यत्), परस्मैपदम्, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• rāmaḥ: Rama
• rāmaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/condition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (if)

• abhiṣicyate: is installed (anointed)
• abhiṣicyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-ṣic (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense: 'is anointed/installed')

Context

If Rama is coronated I will die while as you are watching right in your presence today itself by drinking excessive poison.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha
• Rāma

FAQs

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

The verse illustrates adharma as coercion: moral decisions are distorted when forced by threats; it contrasts sharply with satya as a free, principled commitment.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī escalates her demand by threatening suicide if Daśaratha proceeds with Rāma’s coronation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Daśaratha’s vulnerability is highlighted: compassion and fear of sin (causing a queen’s death) become pressure points against dharmic judgment.