Valmiki Ramayana 2.64.69: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 64, Shloka 69

शब्दवेध्य-अनर्थः, ऋषिशापः, दशरथस्य प्राणत्यागः

The Sound-Target Tragedy, the Sage’s Curse, and Dasaratha’s Death

Spoken by Dasharatha to KausalyaSetting: Ayodhyā palace (speech from deathbed)Places named: Ayodhyā (implied return)Projected future: Rāma’s return after exile

Devanagari script

न ते मनुष्या देवास्ते ये चारुशुभकुण्डलम् ।

मुखं द्रक्ष्यन्ति रामस्य वर्षे पञ्चदशे पुनः ॥६९॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.64.69

Transliteration

na te manuṣyā devās te ye cāruśubhakuṇḍalam |

mukhaṃ drakṣyanti rāmasya varṣe pañcadaśe punaḥ ||69||

Translation

ผู้ใดจะได้เห็นพระพักตร์ของพระราม—ประดับด้วยตุ้มหูงามเป็นมงคล—เมื่อพระองค์เสด็จกลับมาอีกในปีที่สิบห้า ผู้นั้นมิใช่มนุษย์สามัญ หากประหนึ่งเทวา

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Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (न-शब्दः)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negative particle)
• Role: सम्बन्धः (निषेधः)

• ते: those
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद्-प्रातिपदिकम् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (सामान्यतः), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम् (you/your—here: those)
• Role: कर्तृ (देवाः/मनुष्याः इत्यस्य निर्देशः)

• मनुष्याः: men, humans
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्
• Role: कर्तृ (द्रक्ष्यन्ति इत्यस्य)

• देवाः: gods
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्
• Role: कर्तृ (द्रक्ष्यन्ति इत्यस्य)

• ते: those
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद्-प्रातिपदिकम् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (सामान्यतः), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम् (those)
• Role: कर्तृ-निर्देशकः (देवाः/मनुष्याः इत्यस्य पुनर्निर्देशः)

• ये: who, whoever
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद्-प्रातिपदिकम् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)
• Role: कर्तृ (द्रक्ष्यन्ति इत्यस्य; ये = who)

• चारुशुभकुण्डलम्: having beautiful and auspicious earrings
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चारु (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिकम्) + शुभ (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिकम्) + कुण्डल (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः—कर्मधारयः (चारु च शुभं च यत् कुण्डलम् तत्)
• Role: कर्म-विशेषणम् (मुखम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• मुखम्: face, countenance
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्
• Role: कर्म (द्रक्ष्यन्ति इत्यस्य)

• द्रक्ष्यन्ति: will see, will behold
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातुः) — भविष्यत्-काल-रूपम्
• Form: लृट्-लकारः (भविष्यत्कालः), प्रथम-पुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्
• Role: क्रिया

• रामस्य: of Rama
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्
• Role: षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः (सम्बन्ध/अधिकारः: of Rama)

• वर्षे: in the year
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (कालाधिकरणम्)
• Role: अधिकरण (कालाधिकरणम्: in the year)

• पञ्चदशे: in the fifteenth
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चदश (संख्यावाचक-प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (वर्षे इत्यस्य)
• Role: अधिकरण-विशेषणम् (कालनिर्देशः)

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्ययम्)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्ति-वाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb: again)
• Role: क्रियाविशेषणम्

Sandhi Notes

• सन्धि-विच्छेदः: देवाः + ते → देवास्ते
• च + आरुशुभकुण्डलम् → चारुशुभकुण्डलम्
• मुखम् + द्रक्ष्यन्ति → मुखं द्रक्ष्यन्ति (म्→ं परे द्)

Context

Those who will behold Rama's countenance adorned with auspicious ear-rings on his return in the fifteenth year are gods not men.

The teaching

Darśana of the dharmic hero is itself a blessing; the righteous elevate society, making ordinary people partake of the divine.

Ethical theme

Satsaṅga/puṇya through association with dharma

Devotion and practice

Rāma-darśana-bhāvanā: meditate on the auspicious form to cultivate bhakti and hope amid separation.

Deity praised

Rāma

Form of praise

Stuti (a hymn of praise)

Mantra

cāru-śubha-kuṇḍalaṃ mukhaṃ rāmasya

Mood and themes

Rasa

Adbhuta (wonder), with Karuna (compassion)

Mood

Beatific vision, future hope, exalting praise

Themes

• Dharma
• Itihasa
• Longing
• Exile
• Divinization of virtue

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Rāma
• Kausalyā
• Ayodhyā (implied by return)

FAQs

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

It honors steadfast dharma: enduring exile faithfully is so elevating that witnessing the dharmic hero’s return is treated as a near-divine privilege.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha, knowing he will not live to see it, imagines Rama’s eventual return and praises those who will witness it.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s constancy and auspiciousness—his moral radiance is depicted as worthy of divine comparison.