Valmiki Ramayana 2.65.19 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 65, Shloka 19

अयोध्याकाण्डे पञ्चषष्टितमः सर्गः — Daśaratha’s Death Discovered in the Palace

Morning Rites Turn to Lament

Devanagari script

ते च दृष्ट्वा तथा सुप्ते शुभे देव्यौ च तं नृपम्।सुप्तमेवोद्गतप्राणमन्तःपुरमदृश्यत।।।।

Transliteration

te ca dṛṣṭvā tathā supte śubhe devyau ca taṃ nṛpam |

suptam evodgataprāṇam antaḥpuram adṛśyata ||

Translation

เมื่อเหล่านางในเห็นพระมเหสีผู้ประเสริฐทั้งสองบรรทมอยู่เช่นนั้น และเห็นพระนฤปติราวกับเพียงหลับ—ทั้งที่ลมหายใจแห่งชีวิตได้จากไปแล้ว—จึงรู้ว่าพระองค์สิ้นพระชนม์ในยามบรรทม

Word by Word

• ते: those (two)
• ते: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; (देव्यौ) इत्यस्य निर्देश

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + क्त्वा
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• तथा: thus/in that way
• तथा: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक

• सुप्ते: asleep
• सुप्ते: कर्ता-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वप् (धातु) + क्त
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; विशेषण (देव्यौ)

• शुभे: auspicious/noble
• शुभे: कर्ता-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; विशेषण (देव्यौ)

• देव्यौ: the two queens
• देव्यौ: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय

• तम्: that
• तम्: कर्म (Object of दृष्ट्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नृपम्: king
• नृपम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तम् इत्यस्य विशेष्य

• सुप्तम्: asleep
• सुप्तम्: कर्म-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वप् (धातु) + क्त
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (नृपम्)

• एव: indeed/as if
• एव: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण (only/just/as if)

• उद्गतप्राणम्: with life-breath departed
• उद्गतप्राणम्: कर्म-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्-गत-प्राण (प्रातिपदिक; उद्गत + प्राण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (उद्गताः प्राणाः यस्य = whose life-breath has departed)

• अन्तःपुरम्: the inner apartments (harem)
• अन्तःपुरम्: कर्ता (Karta; subject of अदृश्यत)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तःपुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सामूहिकार्थे (the inner apartments/people therein)

• अदृश्यत: appeared/was seen
• अदृश्यत: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (passive-like: 'was seen/appeared')

Context

Having seen the two auspicious queens asleep, the women in the inner apartment thought the king died in his sleep.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kauśalyā
• Sumitrā
• Antaḥpura (inner apartments)

FAQs

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

Satya (truth) is unavoidable: the household must now face the fact of the king’s death, which will demand righteous decisions about mourning, governance, and succession.

What is the narrative situation?

The inner-chamber attendants conclude that Daśaratha has died, even though his posture resembles ordinary sleep.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Clear-sighted recognition of reality—accepting the truth so that proper rites and duties (dharma) can follow.