Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 51, Shloka 14

अयोध्याकाण्डे एकपञ्चाशः सर्गः — Guha’s Vigil and Lakṣmaṇa’s Lament

Night on the riverbank

Devanagari script

कौशल्या चैव राजा च तथैव जननी मम।नाशंसे यदि जीवन्ति सर्वे ते शर्वरीमिमाम्।।।।

Transliteration

kauśalyā caiva rājā ca tathaiva jananī mama |

nāśaṃse yadi jīvanti sarve te śarvarīm imām ||

Translation

ข้าพเจ้าไม่คาดหวังว่าทุกพระองค์จะรอดพ้นราตรีนี้—พระนางเกาสัลยา พระราชา และแม้แต่มารดาของข้าพเจ้าเอง

Word by Word

• जीवेत्: may live
• जीवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावन/अपवादार्थक-अव्यय (even/if at all)

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

• मे: my
• मे: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• माता: mother
• माता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शत्रुघ्नस्य: of Shatrughna
• शत्रुघ्नस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रुघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अन्ववेक्षया: by looking after (him) / in expectation of him
• अन्ववेक्षया: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनु + अव + ईक्ष् (धातु) + अ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाववाचक-नाम (looking after/expectation)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘दुःखम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• दुःखम्: sorrow
• दुःखम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धे ‘यत् ... तत् ...’

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (but/indeed)

• कौशल्या: Kausalya
• कौशल्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौशल्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वीरसूः: mother of a hero
• वीरसूः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर + सू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (वीरः सूः = वीरं सूते या), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘कौशल्या’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• विनशिष्यति: will perish
• विनशिष्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + नश् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Context

I doubt whether all of them -- the king, Kausalya and my mother -- can survive this night.

Characters & Entities

• Kausalyā
• Daśaratha (the king)

FAQs

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

Dharma entails care for dependents and elders; Bharata’s fear reflects the moral weight of actions that endanger the vulnerable in the royal family.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata anticipates that the shock of Rāma’s exile may prove fatal or unbearable for Daśaratha and the queens through the night.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Filial concern—Bharata worries for both his father and the mothers in the household, not for power or advantage.