Valmiki Ramayana 2.64.18: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 64, Shloka 18

शब्दवेध्य-अनर्थः, ऋषिशापः, दशरथस्य प्राणत्यागः

The Sound-Target Tragedy, the Sage’s Curse, and Dasaratha’s Death

Spoken by DasharathaSetting: Forest hermitage vicinity (ascetic woodland)

Devanagari script

ततस्तस्यैव वचनादुपेत्य परितप्यतः ।

स मया सहसा बाण उधृतो मर्मतस्तदा ॥१८॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.64.18

Transliteration

tatas tasyaiva vacanād upetya paritapyataḥ |

sa mayā sahasā bāṇa udhṛto marmatas tadā ||18||

Translation

అప్పుడు అతని మాట ప్రకారమే, బాధతో తపిస్తున్న అతని దగ్గరకు వెళ్లి, వెంటనే అతని మర్మస్థానంలోనుండి ఆ బాణాన్ని నేను తీసివేశాను।

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Word by Word

• ततः: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb of sequence)
• Role: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)

• तस्य: of him
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, एकवचन
• Role: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)

• एव: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Emphatic particle)
• Role: Avadharana (अवधारण/Emphasis)

• वचनात्: from (his) words
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन
• Role: Hetu (हेतु/Cause-source)

• उपेत्य: having approached
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + इ (धातु) → उपेत्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप् (Absolutive/Gerund); ‘having approached’
• Role: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)

• परितप्यतः: of (him) suffering intensely
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + तप् (धातु) → परितप्यत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ (Present participle); पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘of him who was suffering/tormented’
• Role: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)

• सः: that (arrow)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)

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

• सहसा: suddenly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb: suddenly/at once)
• Role: Kriya-visheshana (क्रिया-विशेषण/Adverbial)

• बाणः: arrow
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; (सः बाणः)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)

• उद्धृतः: was extracted
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + हृ (धातु) → उद्धृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘was pulled out’
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया as participial predicate)

• मर्मतः: from the vital spot
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन
• Role: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative-source)

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb of time)
• Role: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)

Sandhi Notes

• वचनात् + उपेत्य → ‘वचनादुपेत्य’

Context

Then I approached him. He was suffering from excruciating pain. I pulled out at his word the arrow from his chest.

The teaching

Even unintended violence demands accountability; haste without discernment becomes adharma.

Duties in tension

• Kṣatriya duty of hunting/protection vs. ahiṃsā toward innocents/ascetics
• Impulsive action vs. mindful discernment

Ethical theme

Negligence leading to harm; prāyaścitta-necessitating act

How it resolves

Immediate remedial action (helping the victim) but moral debt remains

For your practice

Cultivates vigilance (apramāda) and compassion; prompts self-audit after harm and readiness to serve the injured.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Bhayanaka (fear)

Mood

Urgent, remorseful, pain-stricken

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Compassion
• TragicDuty
• Ethics
• Itihasa

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Śravaṇa (implicit ‘he’)
• arrow (bāṇa)

FAQs

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

Even after wrongdoing, dharma demands immediate compassionate response to suffering—rendering aid and obeying the victim’s last requests.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha reaches the wounded ascetic and removes the arrow at the ascetic’s instruction.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Responsiveness to suffering—an attempt to alleviate pain, though it cannot undo the harm.