Valmiki Ramayana 2.42.4: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 42, Shloka 4

द्विचत्वारिंशः सर्गः — दशरथस्य शोक-विलापः तथा कौशल्यागृह-प्रवेशः

Dasaratha’s Lament and Return to Kausalya’s Apartments

Devanagari script

तस्य दक्षिणमन्वागात्कौसल्या बाहुमङ्गना।वामं चास्यान्वगात्पार्श्वं कैकेयी भरतप्रिया।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.42.4

Transliteration

tasya dakṣiṇam anvāgāt kauśalyā bāhum aṅganā | vāmaṃ cāsyānvagāt pārśvaṃ kaikeyī bharatapriyā ||

Translation

Lumapit si Kausalyā, ang reyna, sa kanyang kanang bisig; at sa kanyang kaliwang tagiliran naman lumapit si Kaikeyī, na minamahal ni Bharata.

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Word by Word

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• dakṣiṇam: right
• dakṣiṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of "bāhum"
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); agreeing with "bāhum"

• anvāgāt: went to; approached
• anvāgāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu + √gā (गा)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada

• kausalyā: Kausalya
• kausalyā: Karta (कर्ता) of "anvāgāt"
• Type: Noun
• Root: kausalyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• bāhum: arm
• bāhum: Karma (कर्म) of "anvāgāt"
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• aṅganā: the lady; wife
• aṅganā: Karta (कर्ता) (appositional)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅganā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); apposition to "kausalyā"

• vāmam: left
• vāmam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of "pārśvam"
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग) or Masculine by ellipsis; Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); here agreeing with implied "pārśvam"/"bāhum"; taken with "pārśvam" in next pada

• ca: and
• ca: Sam uccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable (अव्यय); conjunction

• asya: of him
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• anvagāt: went to; approached
• anvagāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu + √gā (गा)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada

• pārśvam: side
• pārśvam: Karma (कर्म) of "anvagāt"
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• kaikeyī: Kaikeyi
• kaikeyī: Karta (कर्ता) of "anvagāt"
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaikeyī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• bharata-priyā: beloved of Bharata
• bharata-priyā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of "kaikeyī"
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक) + priyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: "dear to Bharata"; epithet of Kaikeyi

Context

To the king, the palace deserted by his two sons and his daughter-in-law, seemed like the sky without the Moon.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kausalyā
• Kaikeyī
• Bharata

FAQs

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

Dharma here appears as familial duty in crisis: queens attend the suffering king, reflecting care, responsibility, and the household’s obligation to support the ruler in distress.

What is the narrative situation?

After the upheaval surrounding Rāma’s departure, Daśaratha is physically and emotionally weakened; Kausalyā and Kaikeyī move to support him at his sides.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Attentive service and presence in suffering—especially Kausalyā’s supportive closeness; the verse also frames Kaikeyī’s proximity with irony given her role in the calamity.