Valmiki Ramayana 2.12.34 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 34

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

Ayodhya Kanda 12

Devanagari script

मम वृद्धस्य कैकेयि गतान्तस्य तपस्विनः।दीनं लालप्यमानस्य कारुण्यं कर्तुमर्हसि।।।।

Transliteration

mama vṛddhasya kaikeyi gatāntasya tapasvinaḥ |

dīnaṃ lālapyamānasya kāruṇyaṃ kartum arhasi ||

Translation

โอ ไกเกยี! ข้าพเจ้าแก่ชรา ใกล้ถึงกาลสิ้นลม เป็นผู้บำเพ็ญตบะ; คร่ำครวญอย่างน่าเวทนาในความทุกข์—ท่านควรเมตตากรุณาต่อข้าพเจ้าเถิด

Word by Word

• mama: of me, my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (pronoun), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), Ekavacana (sg.)

• vṛddhasya: of (me) aged
• vṛddhasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vṛddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), Ekavacana (sg.); qualifying 'mama' (me, who am aged)

• kaikeyi: O Kaikeyi
• kaikeyi: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaikeyī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Sambodhana vibhakti (Vocative/सम्बोधन), Ekavacana (sg.)

• gata-antyasya: of (me) near the end (of life)
• gata-antyasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gata (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive), Ekavacana (sg.); tatpuruṣa: 'antam gataḥ' = having reached the end (near death)

• tapasvinaḥ: of (me) the ascetic/sufferer
• tapasvinaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapasvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), Ekavacana (sg.)

• dīnam: wretched, pitiable
• dīnam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga (n.), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative), Ekavacana (sg.); used adverbially 'pitifully' or as object-qualifier

• lālapyamānasya: of (me) wailing
• lālapyamānasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √lap (धातु)
• Form: Karmavācya (passive), Vartamāna-kṛdanta (present passive participle/शानच्), Puṃliṅga (m.), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive), Ekavacana; 'of (me) being lamented/wailing'

• kāruṇyam: compassion, mercy
• kāruṇyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāruṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga (n.), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/कर्म), Ekavacana (sg.)

• kartum: to do, to show
• kartum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Tumun-anta (infinitive/तुमुन्), 'to do'

• arhasi: you ought
• arhasi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √arh (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ lakāra (Present/वर्तमान), Madhyama puruṣa (2nd person), Ekavacana (sg.), Parasmaipada

Context

O Kaikeyi, you should show mercy to this wretched, old man on the verge of death, wailing pitifully.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī

FAQs

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

Karūṇā (compassion) is invoked as dharma within family and kingship: mercy toward the suffering is a moral obligation.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha, broken by grief, begs Kaikeyī to relent and to treat him mercifully.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The appeal is for Kaikeyī’s compassion; implicitly, Daśaratha’s vulnerability and dependence on dharmic mercy are highlighted.