Valmiki Ramayana 2.12.79 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 79

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

Ayodhya Kanda 12

Devanagari script

अहो दुःखमहो कृच्छ्रं यत्र वाचः क्षमे तव।दुःखमेवंविधं प्राप्तं पुराकृतमिवाशुभम्।।।।

Transliteration

aho duḥkham aho kṛcchraṁ yatra vācaḥ kṣame tava | duḥkham evaṁvidhaṁ prāptaṁ purākṛtam ivāśubham ||

Translation

О, какое горе, какая тяжкая мука — терпеть твои слова! Такое страдание постигло меня, словно это плод какого-то прежнего злого деяния.

Word by Word

• अहो: alas!
• अहो: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहो (अव्यय)
• Form: विस्मय/शोक-सूचक-अव्यय (exclamation)

• दुःखम्: sorrow
• दुःखम्: Exclamatory predicate (उद्गार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; उद्गार-वाक्ये प्रथमा (what sorrow!)

• अहो: alas!
• अहो: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहो (अव्यय)
• Form: विस्मय/शोक-सूचक-अव्यय

• कृच्छ्रम्: hardship / calamity
• कृच्छ्रम्: Exclamatory predicate (उद्गार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; उद्गार-वाक्ये प्रथमा (what calamity!)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adverbial (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध/स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (where/when)

• वाचः: of speech/words
• वाचः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (of words/speech)

• क्षमे: I endure
• क्षमे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √क्षम (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; अर्थः—सहिष्ये/क्षमिष्ये (I endure/forgive)

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• दुःखम्: sorrow
• दुःखम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृ/विषय (the sorrow)

• एवंविधम्: of this kind
• एवंविधम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एवं + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (एवंविधम् = ‘of this kind’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of दुःखम्)

• प्राप्तम्: has befallen
• प्राप्तम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (Past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भावे/कर्मणि—‘has befallen/has been obtained’

• पुराकृतम्: done formerly
• पुराकृतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरा + कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (पुरा कृतम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of अशुभम्)

• इव: like
• इव: Upamana-marker (उपमा-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-वाचक-अव्यय

• अशुभम्: evil / sin
• अशुभम्: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपमान/दृष्टान्त (like a sin/evil)

Context

What suffering What a calamity that I am made to put up with your words. I am subject to this suffering may be as expiation for the sin formerly committed.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī

FAQs

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

It reflects the dharmic idea that suffering can be interpreted through karma, encouraging moral introspection rather than mere blame.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha laments the pain caused by Kaikeyī’s harsh insistence and frames it as karmic retribution.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral self-reflection is emphasized: he looks inward, considering past wrongdoing as a cause of present misery.