Valmiki Ramayana 2.43.1: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 43, Shloka 1

कौशल्याविलापः

Kausalya’s Lament and the Vision of Rama’s Return

Devanagari script

ततः समीक्ष्य शयने सन्नं शोकेन पार्थिवम्।कौशल्या पुत्रशोकार्ता तमुवाच महीपतिम्।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.43.1

Transliteration

tataḥ samīkṣya śayane sannaṃ śokena pārthivam | kauśalyā putraśokārtā tam uvāca mahīpatim ||

Translation

பின்னர் மகன் துயரால் வாடிய கௌசல்யை, துயரால் சோர்ந்து படுக்கையில் கிடந்த அரசனை நோக்கி, அந்த பூமிபதியிடம் இவ்வாறு கூறினாள்.

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Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: अधिकरण (कालाधिकरण—temporal setting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रकारः—सम्बन्ध/क्रमसूचक-अव्ययम् (then/thereafter)

• समीक्ष्य: having gazed/observed
• समीक्ष्य: क्रियाविशेषण (पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया—absolutive modifying main verb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-ईक्ष् (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-अर्थे अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्तम् (क्त्वा-समर्थः); अर्थः—"having looked/observed"

• शयने: on the couch/bed
• शयने: अधिकरण (स्थानाधिकरण—location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; एकवचनम् (locative singular)

• सन्नम्: exhausted, sunk (in grief)
• सन्नम्: कर्मविशेषण (qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सद् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त) → सन्न (प्रातिपदिक-रूप)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त-विशेषणम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचनम्; (पार्थिवम् इति विशेष्येण सह)

• शोकेन: due to grief, by grief
• शोकेन: करण (हेतु/निमित्त-करण—by/owing to grief)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचनम् (instrumental singular; cause/means)

• पार्थिवम्: the king
• पार्थिवम्: कर्म (object of "समीक्ष्य"; also contextually of seeing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचनम् (accusative singular)

• कौशल्या: Kausalya
• कौशल्या: कर्ता (agent of "उवाच")
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौशल्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचनम् (nominative singular)

• पुत्रशोकार्ता: afflicted by grief for her son
• पुत्रशोकार्ता: कर्तृविशेषण (qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुत्र + शोक + आर्त (प्रातिपदिक); समासः—पुत्रस्य शोकः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + आर्त (कर्मधारय-भाव)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (कौशल्या इति विशेष्येण सह); अर्थः—पुत्रशोकेन आर्ता

• तम्: him, that (person)
• तम्: कर्म (object of "उवाच"—the one addressed)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचनम् (accusative singular pronoun)

• उवाच: said, spoke
• उवाच: क्रिया (main action—said/spoke)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उवाच (लिट्-लकार, परस्मैपद)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्शभूत/परफेक्ट); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• महीपतिम्: the lord of the earth, king
• महीपतिम्: कर्म (object in apposition—"him", the lord/king)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही + पति (प्रातिपदिक); समासः—महेः पतिः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचनम्; (तम् इत्यस्य विशेष्य/अप्पोजिशन)

Context

Struck by the grief of her son's departure, Kausalya looked at the king who lay on the couch completely exhausted and said to him.

Characters & Entities

• Kauśalyā
• Daśaratha
• Ayodhyā (implicit court setting)

FAQs

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

It presents dharma as compassionate presence in suffering: even amid personal loss, Kausalyā approaches the grieving king, modeling relational duty and humane care within the royal family.

What is the narrative situation?

After Rāma’s departure, Daśaratha collapses in sorrow; Kausalyā, herself anguished, comes to him and begins to speak.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Kausalyā’s compassion and steadiness: she is afflicted, yet she engages responsibly with the crisis rather than withdrawing.