Valmiki Ramayana 2.63.41: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 63, Shloka 41

दशरथस्य शोकानुचिन्तनं शब्धवेधि-दोषस्मरणं च

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

Devanagari script

किं तवापकृतं राजन्वने निवसता मया ।

जिहीर्षुरम्भो गुर्वुर्थं यदहं ताडितस्त्वया ॥४१॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.63.41

Transliteration

kiṃ tavāpakṛtaṃ rājan vane nivasatā mayā |

jihīrṣur ambho gurv-arthaṃ yad ahaṃ tāḍitas tvayā ||41||

Translation

“ข้าแต่พระราชา ข้าพเจ้าผู้อาศัยอยู่ในป่าได้ทำความผิดอันใดแก่พระองค์หรือ? ข้าพเจ้าเพียงจะตักน้ำไปถวายแก่ผู้ใหญ่และครูบาอาจารย์เท่านั้น แต่กลับถูกพระองค์ยิงจนล้มลง”

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Word by Word

• एकेन: with one
• एकेन: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन; Instrumental singular qualifying ‘बाणेन’

• खलु: indeed
• खलु: Sambandha (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• बाणेन: by an arrow
• बाणेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• मर्मणि: in a vital spot
• मर्मणि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन; Locative singular

• अभिहते: when (I was) struck
• अभिहते: Sati-saptamī (सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + हन् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), सप्तमी एकवचन; Locative absolute with ‘मयि’ (when I was struck)

• मयि: in me/on me
• मयि: Sati-saptamī (सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सप्तमी एकवचन; Locative singular

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा द्विवचन; Nominative dual

• अन्धौ: blind (two)
• अन्धौ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा द्विवचन; Nominative dual qualifying ‘वृद्धौ’

• निहतौ: were slain
• निहतौ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + हन् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा द्विवचन; past passive participle

• वृद्धौ: the two old ones
• वृद्धौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा द्विवचन; Nominative dual

• माता: mother
• माता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; Nominative singular (apposition)

• जनयिता: father/begetter
• जनयिता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनयितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; Nominative singular (apposition)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी एकवचन; Genitive singular

Context

'O king! you have struck me when I was trying to carry water to my parents. I am a forest-dweller. What harm have I done to you?

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• forest (vana)
• water (ambhas)

FAQs

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

Pitṛ-sevā as dharma: serving one’s parents/elders is presented as a righteous duty, and harming the innocent—especially one engaged in dharma—becomes a grave moral rupture.

What is the narrative situation?

After being struck by Daśaratha’s arrow, the dying youth speaks, revealing he was merely fetching water for his parents.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Śravaṇa’s devotion to parents and blamelessness—his life is defined by service, not hostility.