Valmiki Ramayana 2.42.33 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 42, Shloka 33

द्विचत्वारिंशः सर्गः — दशरथस्य शोक-विलापः तथा कौशल्यागृह-प्रवेशः

Dasaratha’s Lament and Return to Kausalya’s Apartments

Devanagari script

अथ रात्र्यां प्रपन्नायां कालरात्र्यामिवात्मनः।अर्धरात्रे दशरथः कौशल्यामिदमब्रवीत्।।।।

Transliteration

atha rātryāṃ prapannāyāṃ kālarātryām ivātmanaḥ | ardharātre daśarathaḥ kauśalyām idam abravīt ||

Translation

తర్వాత రాత్రి వచ్చి చేరగా—తనకు కాలరాత్రిలా—అర్ధరాత్రి వేళ దశరథుడు కౌసల్యతో ఈ మాటలు పలికాడు.

Word by Word

• atha: then
• atha: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• rātryām: in the night
• rātryām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rātri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• prapannāyām: having set in / having come
• prapannāyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√pad (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषण (रात्र्याम्)

• kāla-rātryām: the night of death
• kāla-rātryām: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + rātri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कालस्य रात्रिः)

• iva: like
• iva: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय

• ātmanaḥ: for himself / of himself
• ātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• ardha-rātre: at midnight
• ardha-rātre: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ardha (प्रातिपदिक) + rātri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (रात्रेः अर्धे)

• daśarathaḥ: Dasaratha
• daśarathaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśaratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kauśalyām: to Kausalya / Kausalya
• kauśalyām: Sampradana/Sambodhana (सम्प्रदान/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kauśalyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे द्वितीया (addressing)

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• abravīt: said/spoke
• abravīt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Context

The king, endowed with rectitude, virtue and also humility, stared at and said to Kaikeyi with pain.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kausalyā

FAQs

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

The verse frames suffering as a consequence within the moral universe of itihāsa: when dharma is strained (through vows, boons, and exile), the resulting pain can feel like death—yet the narrative insists on truth-bound action.

What is the narrative situation?

At midnight, Daśaratha—near collapse—turns to Kausalyā to speak, the night itself described as ominous and death-like for him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Kausalyā’s role as steady companion in crisis is implied; Daśaratha’s vulnerability foregrounds the human dimension of royal dharma.