Valmiki Ramayana 2.12.20 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 20

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

Ayodhya Kanda 12

Devanagari script

नहि किञ्चिदयुक्तं वा विप्रियं वा पुरा मम।अकरोस्त्वं विशालाक्षि तेन न श्रद्दधाम्यहम्।।।।

Transliteration

nahi kiñcid ayuktaṃ vā vipriyaṃ vā purā mama | akaros tvaṃ viśālākṣi tena na śraddadhāmy aham ||

Translation

โอผู้มีดวงตากว้างไพศาล ในกาลก่อนท่านไม่เคยกระทำสิ่งใดที่ไม่สมควรหรือทำให้ข้าพเจ้าไม่พอใจเลย เพราะเหตุนั้นข้าพเจ้าจึงไม่อาจเชื่อสิ่งที่ได้ยินอยู่บัดนี้

Word by Word

• नहि: indeed not / surely not
• नहि: सम्बन्ध/वाक्योपपादक (discourse particle; no karaka)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न + हि (निपातौ)
• Form: निपातः (particle); निषेधार्थः/प्रतिषेध-निश्चयार्थः (negation with emphasis: 'indeed not')

• किञ्चित्: anything / even a little
• किञ्चित्: कर्म (object of implied action 'did')
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (प्रत्ययः)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (indefinite pronoun: 'anything, even a little')

• अयुक्तम्: improper / unfitting
• अयुक्तम्: कर्म-विशेषणम् (qualifier of object 'kiñcit')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + युक्त (√युज् धातु, क्त-प्रत्ययः; 'joined/fit' → 'proper')
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्; क्तान्त-विशेषणम् (past passive participle used adjectivally: 'improper')

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्ध/वाक्योपपादक (connector; no karaka)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (निपातः)
• Form: समुच्चय/विकल्पार्थक-निपातः (disjunctive particle: 'or')

• विप्रियम्: unpleasant / disagreeable
• विप्रियम्: कर्म-विशेषणम् (qualifier of object 'kiñcit')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (unpleasant/unpalatable)

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्ध/वाक्योपपादक (connector; no karaka)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (निपातः)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपातः (disjunctive particle: 'or')

• पुरा: formerly / in the past
• पुरा: अधिकरण (कालाधिकरण; time circumstance)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (temporal adverb: 'formerly/in the past')

• मम: to me / of me
• मम: सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध (recipient/possessor sense: 'towards me')
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम (genitive: 'of me/to me')

• अकरोः: you did / you made
• अकरोः: क्रिया (verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु) — लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (imperfect/past); मध्यमपुरुषः; एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम् (you did/made)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: कर्ता (agent/subject of 'akaroḥ')
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम (2nd person pronoun)

• विशालाक्षि: O large-eyed lady
• विशालाक्षि: सम्बोधन (vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशाल + अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक; संबोधन-रूपम्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम्; संबोधन विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्; कर्मधारय-समासः (विशालानि अक्षी यस्याः/यस्या: 'large-eyed')

• तेन: therefore / for that reason
• तेन: हेतु/करण (cause/instrumental of reason)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम (instrumental: 'by that/therefore')

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध/वाक्योपपादक (negator; no karaka)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निपातः)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपातः (negation particle)

• श्रद्दधामि: I believe / I trust
• श्रद्दधामि: क्रिया (verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रद् + √धा (धातु) — लट् (वर्तमानकाल)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (present); उत्तमपुरुषः; एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम् (I believe/trust)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (agent/subject of 'śraddadhāmi')
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम (1st person pronoun)

Context

O queen, till now you had a moral sense. With your mind debased (now), a very great immorality has infected the Ikshvaku race.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī

FAQs

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

Dharma in relationships is grounded in consistent conduct and trust. When speech suddenly contradicts a history of right behavior, it creates a moral and emotional crisis requiring सत्य (truth) to be re-established.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha recalls Kaikeyī’s former goodwill toward him and expresses disbelief at her present harsh demands.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Faith in prior virtue: Daśaratha tries to interpret Kaikeyī charitably based on her past conduct, even while suffering.