Valmiki Ramayana 2.39.41 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 39, Shloka 41

एकोनचत्वारिंशः सर्गः

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

Devanagari script

मुरजपणवमेघघोषवत्दशरथवेश्म बभूव यत्पुरा।विलपितपरिदेवनाकुलंव्यसनगतं तदभूत्सुदुःखितम्।।2.39.41।।

Transliteration

muraja-paṇava-megha-ghoṣavad daśaratha-veśma babhūva yat purā | vilapita-paridevanākulaṃ vyasana-gataṃ tad abhūt su-duḥkhitam || 2.39.41 ||

Translation

यत् पुरा मुरजपणवमेघघोषवत् दशरथवेश्म बभूव, तद् व्यसनगतं विलपितपरिदेवनाकुलं सुदुःखितम् अभूत्।

Word by Word

• muraja-paṇava-megha-ghoṣa-vat: resounding like the sound of drums and cloud-rumble
• muraja-paṇava-megha-ghoṣa-vat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: muraja (प्रातिपदिक) + paṇava (प्रातिपदिक) + megha (प्रातिपदिक) + ghoṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (तद्धित प्रत्यय)
• Form: Taddhitānta adjective (वत्), Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; used adverbially as a qualifier of the predicate sound/condition

• daśaratha-veśma: Daśaratha’s palace
• daśaratha-veśma: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśaratha (प्रातिपदिक) + veśman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): ‘of Daśaratha’ + ‘palace’

• babhūva: became / was
• babhūva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (Aorist/लुङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• yat: which
• yat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; relative pronoun correlating with तत्

• purā: formerly / earlier
• purā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb of time (कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)

• vilapita-paridevana-ākulam: filled with wailing and lamentation
• vilapita-paridevana-ākulam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vilapita (कृदन्त; विलप् धातु) + paridevana (प्रातिपदिक) + ākula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; descriptive compound: ‘confused/filled’ (ākula) with ‘wailing and lamentation’

• vyasana-gatam: fallen into calamity
• vyasana-gatam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vyasana (प्रातिपदिक) + gata (कृदन्त; गम् धातु)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; past passive participle (क्त) ‘gone into calamity’

• tat: that (palace)
• tat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; correlative pronoun to यत्

• abhūt: became / was
• abhūt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (Aorist/लुङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• su-duḥkhitam: very sorrowful
• su-duḥkhitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + duḥkhita (कृदन्त; दुःख्/दुःख धातु/प्रातिपदिक-आधारित)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; intensifier सु + adjective ‘afflicted with sorrow’

Context

Regaining his senses in a moment, the king, with eyes filled with tears, said to Sumantra:

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha

FAQs

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

Impermanence of worldly splendor: royal joy and celebration can swiftly turn to lament when dharma-driven events (exile, truth-keeping) unfold.

What is the narrative situation?

The sarga closes with a stark contrast: the once-festive palace becomes a place of collective mourning due to the exile crisis.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Not a single virtue, but the epic’s moral atmosphere: dharma’s weight transforms an entire community’s emotional state.