Valmiki Ramayana 2.48.24: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 48, Shloka 24

अयोध्यायाः शोकवर्णनम्

Ayodhya’s Lament and Civic Desolation

Devanagari script

या पुत्रं पार्थिवेन्द्रस्य प्रवासयति निर्घृणा।कस्तां प्राप्य सुखं जीवेदधर्म्यां दुष्टचारिणीम्।।2.48.24।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.48.24

Transliteration

yā putraṁ pārthivendrasya pravāsayati nirghṛṇā |

kas tāṁ prāpya sukhaṁ jīved adharmyāṁ duṣṭa-cāriṇīm || 2.48.24 ||

Translation

جو بےرحم ہو کر بھومی کے مالک مہاراج کے بیٹے کو جلاوطنی میں دھکیل دے—ایسی اَدھرمِنی، بدکردار کے زیرِ سایہ کون سکھ سے جی سکے گا؟

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Word by Word

• yā: she who
• yā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun, Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• putram: son
• putram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• pārthiva-indrasya: of the king (lord of men)
• pārthiva-indrasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārthiva (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa = pārthivānām indraḥ; Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana

• pravāsayati: banishes / sends into exile
• pravāsayati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + vas (धातु) + ṇic (णिच् causative)
• Form: Laṭ (Present/लट्), Prathama puruṣa, Ekavacana, Parasmaipada, Causative (णिजन्त)

• nirghṛṇā: merciless
• nirghṛṇā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirghṛṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; Viśeṣaṇa of yā (Kaikeyī)

• kaḥ: who
• kaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative pronoun, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• tām: her
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• prāpya: having obtained / having gotten
• prāpya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + āp (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), indeclinable verbal form (अव्ययीभाववत्), expresses prior action

• sukham: happily / comfort
• sukham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; adverbial accusative (क्रियाविशेषण-द्वितीया)

• jīvet: would live
• jīvet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jīv (धातु)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-liṅ/विधिलिङ्), Prathama puruṣa, Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

• adharmyām: unrighteous (woman)
• adharmyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adharmyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; Viśeṣaṇa of tām

• duṣṭa-cāriṇīm: wicked-conducted
• duṣṭa-cāriṇīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + cāriṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya = duṣṭā cāriṇī; Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; Viśeṣaṇa of tām

Context

Who can live with pleasure under the rule of Kaikeyi of unrighteous character and wicked behaviour, one who without compassion banished Rama, son of Dasaratha, king of kings?

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī (implied by 'she')
• Rāma (as the banished son)
• Daśaratha (as pārthivendra)

FAQs

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

Rule without compassion is condemned as adharma; the verse links legitimacy to humane conduct, especially toward the innocent and virtuous.

What is the narrative situation?

The citizens interpret Rāma’s exile as a cruel political act and declare that happiness is impossible under such a ruler.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Compassion (dayā) as a necessary virtue for governance; its absence marks moral unfitness to rule.