Valmiki Ramayana 2.63.23 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 63, Shloka 23

दशरथस्य शोकानुचिन्तनं शब्धवेधि-दोषस्मरणं च

Daśaratha’s grief, karmic reflection, and the remembered ‘śabdavedhī’ misdeed

Devanagari script

तत्राहं संवृतं वन्यं हतवांस्तीरमागतम्।अन्यं चापि मृगं हिंस्रं शब्दं श्रुत्वाऽभ्युपागतम्।।2.63.23।।

Transliteration

tatrāhaṃ saṃvṛtaṃ vanyaṃ hatavāṃs tīram āgatam | anyaṃ cāpi mṛgaṃ hiṃsraṃ śabdaṃ śrutvā ’bhyupāgatam || 2.63.23 ||

Translation

ณ ที่นั้น ข้าพเจ้าซ่อนกายแล้วยิงสังหารสัตว์ป่าตัวหนึ่งที่มาถึงตลิ่ง; และยังได้ล้มสัตว์ดุร้ายอีกตัวหนึ่ง ซึ่งเข้ามาใกล้เพราะข้าพเจ้าได้ยินเสียงของมัน

Word by Word

• tatra: there
• tatra: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of place (देशवाचक-अव्यय)

• aham: I
• aham: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• saṃvṛtam: secretly/after concealing (myself)
• saṃvṛtam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saṃ-vṛ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्) used adverbially: ‘having concealed myself/secretly’

• vanyam: wild
• vanyam: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vanya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying implied mṛgam/śvāpadaṃ

• hatavān: killed
• hatavān: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: Past active participle (क्तवत्), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tīram: bank/shore
• tīram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• āgatam: come/arrived
• āgatam: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-gam (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying vanyam (animal)

• anyam: another
• anyam: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying mṛgam

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (अपि = ‘also’)

• mṛgam: animal/deer
• mṛgam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• hiṃsram: fierce/cruel
• hiṃsram: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hiṃsra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying mṛgam

• śabdam: sound
• śabdam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śabda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त)

• abhyupāgatam: having approached/come near
• abhyupāgatam: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-upa-ā-gam (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying mṛgam

Context

Hiding and waiting there, following the sounds of animals I killed two animals that had reached the bank of the river.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Riverbank (tīra)

FAQs

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

Dharma warns against acting on incomplete knowledge: killing based merely on sound reflects negligence, and negligence (pramāda) is a root of wrongdoing.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha continues his confession: hidden near the riverbank, he shoots creatures by tracking their sounds—setting up the tragic misidentification that follows in the Śravaṇa episode.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Truthfulness in repentance (satya in confession) is emphasized: Daśaratha openly narrates his own fault, acknowledging the chain of consequences.