Valmiki Ramayana 2.63.3: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 63, Shloka 3

दशरथस्य शोकानुचिन्तनं शब्धवेधि-दोषस्मरणं च

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

Setting: Ayodhyā palace (Kośala capital)Places named: Kośala (kingdom)

Devanagari script

सभार्ये निर्गते रामे कौसल्यां कोशलेश्वरः ।

विवक्षुरसितापाङ्गां स्मृत्वा दुष्कृतमात्मनः ॥३॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.63.3

Transliteration

sabhārye nirgate rāme kausalyāṃ kośaleśvaraḥ |

vivakṣur asitāpāṅgāṃ smṛtvā duṣkṛtam ātmanaḥ ||3||

Translation

ครั้นพระรามเสด็จออกไปพร้อมพระชายาแล้ว พระราชาแห่งโกศล (ทศรถ) ระลึกถึงกรรมชั่วของตน จึงปรารถนาจะกล่าวเรื่องนั้นแก่พระนางเกาสัลยา ผู้มีดวงตาดำงาม

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Word by Word

• sa-bhārye: with (his) wife
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (सह/उपसर्गवत्) + bhāryā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī (Locative/सप्तमी), Eka-vacana; avyayībhāva: 'with wife' used as qualifier of rāme in locative absolute
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Compound: Avyayibhava

• nirgate: having departed
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-√gam (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle in locative absolute, Puṃliṅga, Saptamī, Eka-vacana; 'when (he) had departed'
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)

• rāme: when Rama
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī, Eka-vacana; locative absolute with nirgate
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)

• kausalyām: Kausalya
• Type: Noun
• Root: kausalyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Eka-vacana
• Role: Karma (Object/कर्म)

• kośala-īśvaraḥ: king of Kosala
• Type: Noun
• Root: kośala (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana; tatpuruṣa: 'lord of Kosala'
• Role: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• vivakṣuḥ: wishing to speak
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-√vac (धातु) + u (उ) desiderative? actually agent noun from √vac with suffix -ṣu (इच्छार्थक)
• Form: Desiderative/intentive adjective (विवक्षु), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Eka-vacana; 'wishing to speak'
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)

• asita-apāṅgām: black-eyed (with dark eye-corners)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: asita (प्रातिपदिक) + apāṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Eka-vacana; karmadhāraya: 'black-cornered-eyed' qualifying kausalyām
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• smṛtvā: having remembered
• Type: Verb
• Root: √smṛ (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), 'having remembered'
• Role: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)

• duṣkṛtam: evil deed
• Type: Noun
• Root: duṣkṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Eka-vacana
• Role: Karma (Object/कर्म)

• ātmanaḥ: of himself
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Eka-vacana
• Role: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)

Sandhi Notes

• sabhārye → sa-bhārye
• vivakṣurasitāpāṅgāṃ → vivakṣuḥ asita-apāṅgām
• duṣkṛtamātmanaḥ → duṣkṛtam ātmanaḥ

Context

After Rama had left along with his wife the king of Kosala (Dasaratha) recollected his former evil deed and wanted to narrate it to the dark-eyed Kausalya.

The teaching

When grief breaks pride, truth emerges; acknowledging past wrong is the first step toward moral clarity, even if consequences cannot be undone.

Duties in tension

• Kingly composure and governance
• Paternal love and grief
• Truth-telling/confession vs shame

Ethical theme

Truthfulness, accountability, karmic responsibility

How it resolves

Confession and acceptance of karmic consequence

For your practice

Use suffering as a prompt for honest self-audit and repentance; practice satya and humility.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Penitent, heartbroken, confessional

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Itihasa
• Ethics
• Confession
• Karma

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā
• Kausalyā
• Daśaratha
• Kośala

FAQs

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

Dharma here is moral accountability: a ruler must acknowledge wrongdoing rather than conceal it, especially when its consequences harm others.

What is the narrative situation?

After Rāma leaves for exile with Sītā, Daśaratha is overwhelmed by grief and recalls an earlier sin, preparing to narrate it to Kausalyā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Truthfulness through confession (satya-vāda) and remorse—Daśaratha’s willingness to articulate his fault.