Valmiki Ramayana 2.18.39: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 18, Shloka 39

अष्टादशः सर्गः · Kaikeyī Discloses the Boons: Exile to Daṇḍaka and Bharata’s Consecration

Spoken by Kaikeyi to RamaSetting: Ayodhyā (royal interior, likely Kaikeyī's apartments)

Devanagari script

एतेन त्वां नरेन्द्रोऽयं कारुण्येन समाप्लुतः ।

शोकसंक्लिष्ट वदनो न शक्नोति निरीक्षितुम् ॥३९॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.18.39

Transliteration

etena tvāṁ narendro ’yaṁ kāruṇyena samāplutaḥ |

śokasaṅkliṣṭavadano na śakn̄oti nirīkṣitum ||39||

Translation

ఈ కారణంతోనే ఈ నరేంద్రుడు కరుణతో ముంచెత్తబడి, శోకంతో క్లిష్టమైన ముఖంతో నిన్ను చూడలేకపోతున్నాడు।

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Word by Word

• एतेन: by this; because of this
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (3rd/तृतीया), Eka-vacana (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun used instrumentally (करणे)
• Role: Karana (करण)

• त्वाम्: you
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuzmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Dvitīyā vibhakti (2nd/द्वितीया), Eka-vacana (एकवचन)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• नरेन्द्रः: the king (lord of men)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound: nara-indra; Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā vibhakti (1st/प्रथमा), Eka-vacana (एकवचन)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• अयम्: this
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā vibhakti (1st/प्रथमा), Eka-vacana (एकवचन)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• कारुण्येन: through compassion; out of pity
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāruṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (3rd/तृतीया), Eka-vacana (एकवचन); instrumental of cause (हेतु-करण)
• Role: Hetu (हेतु)

• समाप्लुतः: overwhelmed; flooded
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-plu (धातु)
• Form: Kta-pratyaya past participle (क्त/भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त); Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana; passive sense ‘overwhelmed’
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• शोकसंक्लिष्टवदनः: having a face distressed by grief
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śoka + saṅkliṣṭa + vadana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi (बहुव्रीहि) compound: ‘whose face is afflicted by grief’; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana; adjective qualifying नरेन्द्रः
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Bahuvrihi

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Niṣedha-avyaya (निषेध-अव्यय) negative particle
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• शक्नोति: is able
• Type: Verb
• Root: śak (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्/Present), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), Eka-vacana (एकवचन)
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• निरीक्षितुम्: to look at; to see
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: Tumun infinitive (तुमुन्/तुमर्थक), expressing purpose; ‘to see’
• Role: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)

Sandhi Notes

• नरेन्द्रोऽयं = नरेन्द्रः + अयम् (visarga sandhi to 'o' before vowel)
• शोकसंक्लिष्टवदनो = शोकसंक्लिष्टवदनः (final -o in padapāṭha corresponds to -aḥ before pause)

Context

This is why the king with his face tortured by tears and (his heart) overwhelmed with compassion for you, is unable to look at you.

The teaching

Even a righteous king can be bound by truth and promise; compassion does not annul dharma, it tests it.

Duties in tension

• Daśaratha's paternal affection vs kingly obligation to keep his pledged word
• Rāma's filial duty vs personal right to kingship

Ethical theme

Satya (truthfulness) and rājadharma

For your practice

Cultivates karuṇā without losing steadiness; practice of witnessing grief without cruelty.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Tearful, restrained, heavy-hearted

Themes

• Compassion
• Itihasa
• Ethics
• Dharma

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyi
• Dasaratha
• Rama

FAQs

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

Dharma here is the moral burden of difficult vows: compassion can paralyze action, yet duty still demands a righteous resolution.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī interprets Daśaratha’s grief-stricken silence and inability to meet Rāma’s gaze.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Daśaratha’s paternal love and compassion—though shown as emotionally overwhelming.