Valmiki Ramayana 2.48.7 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 48, Shloka 7

अयोध्यायाः शोकवर्णनम्

Ayodhya’s Lament and Civic Desolation

Devanagari script

किं नु तेषां गृहैः कार्यं किं दारै: किं धनेन वा।पुत्रैर्वा किं सुखैर्वापि ये न पश्यन्ति राघवम्।।2.48.7।।

Transliteration

kiṃ nu teṣāṃ gṛhaiḥ kāryaṃ kiṃ dāraiḥ kiṃ dhanena vā |

putrair vā kiṃ sukhair vāpi ye na paśyanti rāghavam ||2.48.7||

Translation

جن کے نصیب میں رाघو (رام) کا دیدار نہیں، اُن کے لیے گھر کس کام کے؟ بیوی، دولت کس کام کی؟ بیٹے اور لذتیں بھی کیا معنی رکھتی ہیں؟

Word by Word

• kim: what?; what use?
• kim: Prayojana (प्रयोजन; 'what use?')
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); interrogative used predicatively

• nu: indeed; pray
• nu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nu (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative/emphatic particle (प्रश्न/निपात)

• teṣām: of them; their
• teṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; possessive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• gṛhaiḥ: with houses; by houses
• gṛhaiḥ: Karaṇa/Upakaraṇa (करण/उपकरण; 'with/for')
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• kāryam: use; purpose
• kāryam: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); 'purpose/use'

• kim: what use?
• kim: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• dāraiḥ: with wives
• dāraiḥ: Karaṇa/Upakaraṇa (करण/उपकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāra (प्रातिपदिक; usually plural)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• kim: what use?
• kim: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• dhanena: with wealth
• dhanena: Karaṇa/Upakaraṇa (करण/उपकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्पार्थक)

• putraiḥ: with sons
• putraiḥ: Karaṇa/Upakaraṇa (करण/उपकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्पार्थक)

• kim: what use?
• kim: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• sukhaiḥ: with comforts
• sukhaiḥ: Karaṇa/Upakaraṇa (करण/उपकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्पार्थक)

• api: even; also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), 'also/even'

• ye: those who
• ye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; negation of verb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध)

• paśyanti: see
• paśyanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √paś (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• rāghavam: Rāghava (Rama)
• rāghavam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

Context

For those who do not see Rama, of what use are the houses or spouses or sons orfortunes or delight?

Characters & Entities

• Rāghava (Rāma)

FAQs

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

It teaches that life’s supports—home, wealth, family, pleasure—are meaningful only when anchored in righteousness and the presence of the dhārmic ideal; without dharma, comforts feel purposeless.

What is the narrative situation?

Amid citywide mourning, the women express that ordinary domestic and material goods have no value if they cannot see Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s role as the highest good (dharma-personified) is emphasized: seeing him is portrayed as more precious than wealth or family joy.