Valmiki Ramayana 2.43.19: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 43, Shloka 19

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

Devanagari script

न हि तावद्गुणैर्जुष्टं सर्वशास्त्रविशारदम् ।

एकपुत्रा विना पुत्रमहं जीवितुमुत्सहे ॥१९॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.43.19

Transliteration

na hi tāvad guṇair juṣṭaṃ sarvaśāstraviśāradaṃ |

ekaputrā vinā putram ahaṃ jīvitum utsahe ||19||

Translation

ข้าผู้มีบุตรเพียงคนเดียว ไม่อาจทนมีชีวิตอยู่ได้หากปราศจากเขา—บุตรผู้เพียบพร้อมด้วยคุณธรรมทั้งปวง และชำนาญในศาสตราทั้งหลาย

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Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• तावत्: so much/such
• तावत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/degree)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tāvat (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: परिमाणवाचक-अव्यय (so much/such)

• गुणैः: with virtues
• गुणैः: Karana (करण/with)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• जुष्टम्: endowed with
• जुष्टम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: juṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक; √juṣ)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of पुत्रम्)

• सर्व-शास्त्र-विशारदम्: skilled in all scriptures
• सर्व-शास्त्र-विशारदम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + śāstra (प्रातिपदिक) + viśārada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषु शास्त्रेषु विशारदः)

• एक-पुत्रा: having only one son
• एक-पुत्रा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (संख्या) + putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of अहम्) (having one son)

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/without)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vinā (अव्यय)
• Form: वियोगार्थक-अव्यय (preposition-like; governs accusative)

• पुत्रम्: son
• पुत्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of ‘without’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• जीवितुम्: to live
• जीवितुम्: Karma (कर्म/Complement of ‘utsahe’)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jīv (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), क्रियार्थक

• उत्सहे: I am able/dare
• उत्सहे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-√sah (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; न + उत्सहे = ‘I do not have the heart’

Context

I cannot live without my only son who is adept in all scriptures and endowed with all virtues.

Characters & Entities

• Rama (implied)

FAQs

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

Dharma esteems inner virtue and disciplined learning; the pain arises because a truly dharmic person (Rama) is made to suffer unjustly, showing how adharma wounds both society and family.

What is the narrative situation?

Kausalya tells Dasharatha she cannot survive Rama’s absence, stressing his exceptional virtues and learning.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s guṇa (character excellence) and śāstra-jñāna (trained wisdom), qualities expected of an ideal ruler.