Shloka 16

कौशल्याविलापः

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

Devanagari script

कदा परिणतो बुद्ध्या वयसा चामरप्रभः।अभ्युपैष्यति धर्मज्ञस्त्रिवर्ष इव मां ललन्।।।।

Transliteration

kadā pariṇato buddhyā vayasā cāmaraprabhaḥ | abhyupaiṣyati dharmajñas trivarṣa iva māṃ lalan ||

Translation

ధర్మజ్ఞుడైన రాముడు, దివ్యప్రభతో ప్రకాశిస్తూ, బుద్ధి వయస్సులలో పరిపక్వుడై—మూడు సంవత్సరాల బాలుడివలె నన్ను లాలిస్తూ—ఎప్పుడు నా వద్దకు తిరిగి వచ్చును?

Word by Word

• कदा: when?
• कदा: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

• परिणतः: matured
• परिणतः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pariṇata (प्रातिपदिक; √nam/√nī in sense ‘to mature’)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• बुद्ध्या: in/with wisdom
• बुद्ध्या: Karana (करण/with respect to)
• Type: Noun
• Root: buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• वयसा: in/with age
• वयसा: Karana (करण/with respect to)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vayas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• अमर-प्रभः: having divine radiance
• अमर-प्रभः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: amara (प्रातिपदिक) + prabhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अमराणां प्रभा यस्य)

• अभ्युपैष्यति: will come/approach
• अभ्युपैष्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-upa-√i (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• धर्मज्ञः: knower of dharma
• धर्मज्ञः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मं जानाति)

• त्रि-वर्षः: a three-year-old (child)
• त्रि-वर्षः: Upamana (उपमान/Standard)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (संख्या) + varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रीणि वर्षाणि यस्य/त्रिवर्षीयः)

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/comparison)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ललन्: playing/caressing
• ललन्: Karta (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √lal (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (manner: playfully)

Context

When will Rama, the knower of righteousness, possessing the lustre of gods, and fully mature in age and wisdom come back to me playfully like a three-year-old boy?

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Kauśalyā
• dharma (as an ideal)

FAQs

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

It presents dharma not as cold austerity but as integrated virtue: Rāma is both dharma-wise and tender—ethical maturity coexisting with affectionate humaneness.

What is the narrative situation?

Kausalyā expresses yearning for Rāma’s return, imagining him as supremely mature in righteousness yet approaching her with the playful intimacy of a small child.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s dharma-jñatā (moral clarity) together with filial affection—an ideal balance of principled conduct and loving relationship.