Valmiki Ramayana 2.42.3 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 42, Shloka 3

द्विचत्वारिंशः सर्गः — दशरथस्य शोक-विलापः तथा कौशल्यागृह-प्रवेशः

Dasaratha’s Lament and Return to Kausalya’s Apartments

Devanagari script

न पश्यति रजोऽप्यस्य यदा रामस्य भूमिपः।तदाऽऽर्तश्च विषण्णश्च पपात धरणीतले।।।।

Transliteration

na paśyati rajo 'py asya yadā rāmasya bhūmipaḥ |

tadā 'rtaś ca viṣaṇṇaś ca papāta dharaṇītale ||

Translation

جب راجا رام کی اڑتی ہوئی گرد کا ذرّہ بھی نہ دیکھ سکا تو وہ غم سے نڈھال اور مایوسی میں ڈوبا ہوا زمین پر گر پڑا۔

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable (अव्यय); negation

• paśyati: sees
• paśyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √paś (पश्)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada

• rajaḥ: dust
• rajaḥ: Karma (कर्म) of "paśyati"
• Type: Noun
• Root: rajas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable (अव्यय); particle (even/also)

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

• yadā: when
• yadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable (अव्यय); temporal adverb

• rāmasya: of Rama
• rāmasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhūmipaḥ: the king
• bhūmipaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) of "papāta" (and "paśyati")
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūmipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable (अव्यय); temporal adverb

• ārtaḥ: distressed
• ārtaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of "bhūmipaḥ"
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ārta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

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

• viṣaṇṇaḥ: despondent
• viṣaṇṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of "bhūmipaḥ"
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣaṇṇa (कृदन्त; √sad (सद्) with vi-, क्त/न)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); adjectival past participial formation

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

• papāta: fell
• papāta: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pat (पत्)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada

• dharaṇī-tale: on the ground
• dharaṇī-tale: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharaṇī (प्रातिपदिक) + tala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: "surface of the earth"

Context

When the king could no longer see even the dust, he fell on the ground, despondent and grief- stricken.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Rāma

FAQs

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

The verse illustrates the karmic and ethical weight of decisions: once dharma is set aside and the righteous are sent away, suffering arises immediately and uncontrollably.

What is the narrative situation?

As Rāma departs, Daśaratha watches until even the dust is no longer visible; the finality breaks him and he collapses.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s belovedness and moral centrality are emphasized indirectly—Daśaratha’s collapse shows how integral Rāma is to his life and to the kingdom’s stability.