Valmiki Ramayana 2.87.7: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 87, Shloka 7

गुहसंवादः · रामस्य रात्रिवासवर्णनम्

Dialogue with Guha: Account of Rama’s Night Halt

Narrated by ValmikiSetting: Ayodhyā palace (mourning space)Places named: Ayodhyā

Devanagari script

वत्सला स्वं यथा वत्समुपगूह्य तपस्विनी ।

परिपप्रच्छ भरतं रुदन्ती शोकलालसा ॥७॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.87.7

Transliteration

vatsalā svaṃ yathā vatsam upagūhya tapasvinī |

paripapraccha bharataṃ rudantī śoka-lālasā ||7||

Translation

वत्सला तपस्विनी कौसल्या स्वं वत्सं यथोपगूह्य भरतं परिषस्वज्य। रुदन्ती शोकलालसा तं परिपप्रच्छ।।

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Word by Word

• पुत्र: O son
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन
• Role: सम्बोधन (Address)

• व्याधिः: illness
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: कर्ता (Karta)

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)
• Role: निपात (Particle)

• ते: your
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (6th/4th), एकवचन; here genitive: 'your'
• Role: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)

• कच्चित्: I hope (that)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक/आशङ्का (interrogative particle: I hope?/is it the case?)
• Role: निपात (Particle)

• शरीरम्: body
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: कर्म (Karma)

• परिबाधते: troubles/afflicts
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + बाध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद
• Role: क्रिया (Verb)

• अद्य: now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (today/now)
• Role: कालाधिकरण (Kāla-adhikaraṇa)

• राजकुलस्य: of the royal house
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज-कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन
• Role: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• अस्य: of this
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचन; demonstrative
• Role: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)

• त्वदधीनम्: dependent on you
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वद्-अधीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (to 'जीवितम्')
• Role: कर्ता (Karta)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• हि: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/कारण (indeed/for)
• Role: निपात (Particle)

• जीवितम्: life
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: कर्ता (Karta)

Sandhi Notes

• कच्चिच्छरीरम् = कच्चित् + शरीरम् (त् + श् → च्छ्)
• राजकुलस्यास्य = राजकुलस्य + अस्य
• त्वदधीनम् = त्वद् + अधीनम्

Context

Desolate Kausalya, in deep distress, clasped Bharata out of filial love as if he were her own child, wept and enquired of him:

The teaching

True guardianship blends tenderness with responsible inquiry; emotion is acknowledged yet directed toward dharmic action.

Duties in tension

• Maternal compassion vs. need to inquire and act for royal stability
• Ascetic restraint (tapas) vs. emotional outpouring (rudantī)

Ethical theme

Gṛhastha/kula-dharma with tapas

How it resolves

Balanced response—embrace first, then questioning for action

For your practice

Cultivating vātsalya and steadiness; allowing grief without cruelty; tapas as inner discipline.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Maternal, austere, trembling

Themes

• Dharma
• Itihasa
• Ethics
• Maternal love
• Family reconciliation
• Grief and restraint

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Kausalyā
• Bharata

FAQs

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

Dharma is compassionate speech and relationship-preserving action: Kausalyā holds Bharata as her own, choosing care and inquiry over blame.

What is the narrative situation?

After embracing the fallen Bharata, Kausalyā weeps and begins to ask him questions about his condition and the situation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Forgiving maternal affection—Kausalyā’s love extends beyond biological ties, protecting the household’s moral cohesion.