Valmiki Ramayana 2.12.80: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 80

द्वादशः सर्गः · Kaikeyi’s Boons and Dasaratha’s Moral Collapse

Ayodhya Kanda 12

Spoken by Dasharatha to KaikeyiSetting: Ayodhyā (royal palace)

Devanagari script

चिरं खलु मया पापे त्वं पापेनाभिरक्षिता ।

अज्ञानादुपसम्पन्ना रज्जुरुद्बन्धिनी यथा ॥८०॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.12.80

Transliteration

ciraṁ khalu mayā pāpe tvaṁ pāpenābhirakṣitā |

ajñānād upasampannā rajjur udbandhinī yathā ||80||

Translation

ఓ పాపినీ! చాలాకాలం నేను పాపబుద్ధితో, అజ్ఞానవశంగా, నిన్ను కాపాడాను—తరువాత ఉరివేసే ముడిగా మారే తాడును దాచినట్టుగా।

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Word by Word

• चिरम्: for long
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (for a long time)
• Role: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)

• खलु: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अनुनय-सूचक-अव्यय (indeed)
• Role: Discourse particle (निपात)

• मया: by me
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन
• Role: Kartr-karana (कर्तृ-करण)

• पापे: O sinful woman
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; स्त्रीलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (सन्दर्भे स्त्रीसम्बोधन)
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)

• त्वम्: you
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• पापेन: through (my) sin/fault
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; हेतौ/साधने (through sin/fault)
• Role: Hetu (हेतु)

• अभिरक्षिता: was protected
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + √रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (Past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि—‘was protected’
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• अज्ञानात्: from ignorance
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन; हेतुः (from/through ignorance)
• Role: Hetu (हेतु)

• उपसम्पन्ना: has come about / has been obtained
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + सम् + √पद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having come to/obtained’ (arrived as)
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• रज्जुः: a rope
• Type: Noun
• Root: रज्जु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपमान-कर्ता
• Role: Upamana (उपमान)

• उद्बन्धिनी: serving for hanging
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद् + बन्धिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of रज्जुः); अर्थः—उद्बन्धनार्था (fit for hanging)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)

• यथा: like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-वाचक-अव्यय
• Role: Upamana-marker (उपमा-सूचक)

Sandhi Notes

• पापेनाभिरक्षिता→पापेन अभिरक्षिता
• अज्ञानादुपसम्पन्ना→अज्ञानात् उपसम्पन्ना

Context

O wretch I protected you in my folly for a long time through ignorance, like a rope preserved which turned out to be a noose to hang me with.

The teaching

Ignorant attachment can nurture the very cause of one downfall; discernment must guide protection and favor.

Duties in tension

• Protecting and indulging a spouse vs protecting dharma and the heir
• Personal attachment (moha) vs rāja-dharma discernment

Ethical theme

Moha vs viveka in rāja-dharma

For your practice

Vairāgya lesson: examine attachments that masquerade as care; cultivate viveka to avoid self-made bondage.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Raudra (fury), with Karuna (compassion)

Mood

Scathing, regretful, searing

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Ethics
• Misplaced trust
• Consequences
• Anguish

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī

FAQs

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

It warns that protection or patronage without discernment can empower adharma; dharma requires wise judgment, not blind attachment.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha bitterly regrets having long favored Kaikeyī, now seeing that trust as self-destructive.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse emphasizes the need for viveka (discernment) as a supporting virtue for dharmic governance and household life.