Valmiki Ramayana 2.42.1 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 42, Shloka 1

द्विचत्वारिंशः सर्गः — दशरथस्य शोक-विलापः तथा कौशल्यागृह-प्रवेशः

Dasaratha’s Lament and Return to Kausalya’s Apartments

Devanagari script

यावत्तु निर्यतस्तस्य रजोरूपमदृश्यत।नैवेक्ष्वाकुवरस्तावत्सञ्जहारात्मचक्षुषी।।।।

Transliteration

yāvat tu niryatas tasya rajorūpam adṛśyata |

naivekṣvākuvaras tāvat sañjahārātmacakṣuṣī || 2.42.1 ||

Translation

Пока поднятая его уходом пыль ещё была видна, Дашаратха — лучший из Икшваку — не мог отвести от неё глаз.

Word by Word

• yāvat: as long as
• yāvat: Kāla-sambandha (काल-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable (अव्यय); correlating temporal particle

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable (अव्यय); particle

• niryataḥ: of (him) departing
• niryataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir + √yā (या)
• Form: Present participle (शतृ); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); agreeing with "tasya" (of him who was departing)

• tasya: of him (Rama)
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• rajaḥ-rūpam: the appearance of dust
• rajaḥ-rūpam: Karta (कर्ता) of "adṛśyata"
• Type: Noun
• Root: rajas (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: "form/appearance of dust"

• adṛśyata: was visible
• adṛśyata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश्)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); ātmanepada; passive sense "was seen/appeared"

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable (अव्यय); negation

• eva: at all/indeed
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable (अव्यय); emphatic particle

• ikṣvāku-varaḥ: the best of the Ikshvaku line (the king)
• ikṣvāku-varaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) of "sañjahāra"
• Type: Noun
• Root: ikṣvāku (प्रातिपदिक) + vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: "best of the Ikṣvākus"

• tāvat: so long
• tāvat: Kāla-sambandha (काल-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable (अव्यय); correlative temporal particle

• sañjahāra: withdrew; drew back
• sañjahāra: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + √hṛ (हृ)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada

• ātma-cakṣuṣī: his eyes
• ātma-cakṣuṣī: Karma (कर्म) of "sañjahāra"
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + cakṣus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Dual (द्विवचन); tatpuruṣa: "his own two eyes"

Context

As long as the dust raised by the wheels of the chariot of Rama (who was departing to the forest) was visible, Dasaratha, the best of the Ikshvakus, could not withdraw his eyes (from Rama).

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Daśaratha
• Ikṣvāku dynasty

FAQs

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

It presents the emotional cost of dharma-bound decisions: even a king who upholds a pledge experiences profound personal suffering, revealing dharma’s gravity beyond abstract rule.

What is the narrative situation?

As Rāma departs, Daśaratha keeps staring until even the dust of the chariot is no longer visible.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Daśaratha’s deep paternal love and the sincerity of his anguish—his gaze cannot detach from the last trace of his son.