Valmiki Ramayana 2.13.12: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 13, Shloka 12

अयोध्याकाण्डे त्रयोदशः सर्गः | Kaikeyi Presses the Boons; Dasaratha’s Lament and Collapse

Spoken by King DaśarathaSetting: Ayodhyā palace (Daśaratha’s quarters/assembly vicinity)Places named: Ayodhyā

Devanagari script

यदि दुःखमकृत्वाऽद्य मम संक्रमणं भवेत् ।

अदुःखार्हस्य रामस्य तत स्सुखमवाप्नुयाम् ॥१२॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.13.12

Transliteration

yadi duḥkham akṛtvādya mama saṅkramaṇaṃ bhavet |

aduḥkhārhasya rāmasya tataḥ sukham avāpnuyām ||12||

Translation

Если бы сегодня ко мне пришла смерть, не причинив мною скорби Раме, недостойному страдания, тогда от этого я обрёл бы умиротворение.

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Word by Word

• yadi: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Conditional particle (शर्तसूचक-अव्यय)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)

• duḥkham: sorrow; suffering
• Type: Noun
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• akṛtvā: without doing; not having caused
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), negated with a-; ‘having not done’
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)

• adya: today; now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of time (कालवाचक-अव्यय)
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)

• mama: my
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)

• saṅkramaṇam: passing away; death; departure
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṅkramaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• bhavet: might be; could happen
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• aduḥkhārhasya: of one not deserving suffering
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-duḥkha-arha (प्रातिपदिक); duḥkha + arha with negation a-
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); compound: duḥkhasya arhaḥ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) with negation a-
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• rāmasya: of Rama
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)

• tataḥ: therefrom; then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Ablatival adverb (तस्मात्-अर्थे अव्यय)
• Role: Apādāna (अपादान)

• sukham: happiness
• Type: Noun
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• avāpnuyām: I might obtain; I would attain
• Type: Verb
• Root: āp (आप् धातु) with ava-
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

Sandhi Notes

• akṛtvā’dya = akṛtvā + adya
• saṅkramaṇaṅ = saṅkramaṇam (anusvāra before bh)
• tata ssukham = tataḥ + sukham (visarga sandhi)

Context

If death comes to me right now I shall be very happy because I will not have to inflict suffering on Rama who does not deserve it.

The teaching

When dharma is compromised, the conscience burns; true expiation is not escape but restoration of righteousness and protection of the blameless.

Duties in tension

• Keeping a boon/promise vs protecting the innocent heir
• Rājadharma (justice) vs personal entanglement (gṛha-politics)

Ethical theme

Prāyaścitta-bhāva (remorse) and rājadharma accountability

How it resolves

Inner remorse without immediate remedy

For your practice

Japa and self-inquiry on harming the undeserving; cultivate ahiṃsā in speech and decision-making; repentance as a doorway to ethical clarity.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Remorse, self-condemnation, yearning for release

Themes

• Dharma
• Ahimsa (non-harm, implied)
• Satya
• Paternal love
• Moral anguish

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Rāma
• death

FAQs

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

Not harming the innocent is central to dharma; Daśaratha views causing pain to the blameless Rāma as morally unbearable.

What is the narrative situation?

In despair over the exile decision, Daśaratha expresses that dying now would be preferable to living while causing Rāma suffering.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s innocence and deservingness of happiness; Daśaratha’s conscience and remorse.