Valmiki Ramayana 2.12.83: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 83

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

Ayodhya Kanda 12

Spoken by Dasharatha to KaikeyiSetting: Ayodhyā (royal palace)Places named: forest (vana)Impending departure of Rāma toward forest-exile

Devanagari script

बालिशो बत कामात्मा राजा दशरथो भृशम् ।

यः स्त्रीकृते प्रियं पुत्रं वनं प्रस्थापयिष्यति ॥८३॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.12.83

Transliteration

bāliśo bata kāmātmā rājā daśaratho bhṛśam |

yaḥ strīkṛte priyaṁ putraṁ vanaṁ prasthāpayiṣyati ||83||

Translation

‘అయ్యో! రాజు దశరథుడు ఎంత మూర్ఖుడో, కామవశుడో; స్త్రీకోసం తన ప్రియ కుమారుణ్ణి అరణ్యానికి పంపుతున్నాడు’ అని ప్రజలు అనుకొంటారు।

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Word by Word

• बालिशः: foolish
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बालिश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of राजा दशरथः)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)

• बत: alas
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बत (अव्यय)
• Form: खेद/विस्मय-सूचक-अव्यय (alas)
• Role: Discourse particle (निपात)

• कामात्मा: lust-driven
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (कामः आत्मा यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Compound: Bahuvrihi

• राजा: king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्ता
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• दशरथः: Dasaratha
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशरथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; राजा-विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन
• Role: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)

• भृशम्: greatly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृशम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तीव्रतावाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (excessively)
• Role: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)

• यः: who
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• स्त्रीकृते: for a woman’s sake
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री + कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (स्त्रियाः कृते = for the sake of a woman); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी/चतुर्थी-एकवचन (प्रयोगे: कृते इति उपपदेन चतुर्थ्यर्थः); प्रयोजनम्
• Role: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• प्रियम्: dear
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of पुत्रम्)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)

• पुत्रम्: son
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• वनम्: to the forest
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गत्यर्थे कर्म/गन्तव्य (to the forest)
• Role: Gati/Karma (गति/कर्म)

• प्रस्थापयिष्यति: will send away
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √स्था (धातु) (णिच् causative)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Future), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच् (causative) — ‘will send forth’
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

Sandhi Notes

• स्त्रीकृते is a tatpuruṣa (स्त्रियाः कृते)

Context

(They will say), 'Alas how utterly foolish and lustful is king Dasaratha who is sending his beloved son to the forest for the sake of a woman'.

The teaching

A king ruled by kāma invites loka-nindā and harms dharma; governance must be anchored in justice, not personal indulgence.

Duties in tension

• Upholding a boon/promise to Kaikeyī vs justice to the rightful heir
• King reputation and public trust vs private desire/attachment

Ethical theme

Rāja-dharma vs kāma (abuse of power through private desire)

For your practice

Contemplate the cost of kāma-driven decisions; strengthen dharmic resolve and willingness to accept hardship rather than commit injustice.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Bhayanaka (fear)

Mood

Shame-stricken, tragic, foreboding

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Ethics
• Rajadharma
• Kama
• Public judgment

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī
• Rāma
• Forest (vana)

FAQs

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

It warns against kāma overpowering dharma: a ruler must not let private desire dictate decisions that harm justice and rightful succession.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha imagines the public condemning him for exiling Rāma due to Kaikeyī’s demands.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The virtue emphasized is impartiality and steadiness in kingship—placing dharma above personal attachment.