Valmiki Ramayana 2.53.13: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 53, Shloka 13

पञ्चाशत्तमः सर्गः (Sarga 53)

Rāma’s Lament, Vigil for Sītā, and Lakṣmaṇa’s Consolation

Devanagari script

अर्थधर्मौ परित्यज्य य काममनुवर्तते।एवमापद्यते क्षिप्रं राजा दशरथो यथा।।।।

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.53.13

Transliteration

artha-dharmau parityajya yaḥ kāmam anuvartate | evam āpadyate kṣipraṃ rājā daśaratho yathā ||2.53.13||

Translation

جو بادشاہ اَرتھ اور دھرم کو ترک کر کے محض خواہشِ نفس کے پیچھے چلتا ہے، وہ بہت جلد مصیبت میں جا پڑتا ہے—جیسے راجا دشرتھ پر یہ آفت آن پڑی۔

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Word by Word

• अर्थधर्मौ: artha and dharma
• अर्थधर्मौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ + धर्म (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन

• परित्यज्य: having abandoned
• परित्यज्य: Kriya (क्रिया-अनुबन्ध/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परि + त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): ‘having abandoned’

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कामम्: desire
• कामम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अनुवर्तते: follows, pursues
• अनुवर्तते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• आपद्यते: falls into, comes to (a state)
• आपद्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + पद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• क्षिप्रम्: quickly
• क्षिप्रम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षिप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण द्वितीया-एकवचन (adverbial accusative)

• राजा: a king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दशरथः: Dasaratha
• दशरथः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशरथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यथा: as, like
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/comparison)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (as/like)

Context

Any king who abandons dharma and artha and adopts a life of pleasure will very soon reach this state as Dasaratha has attained.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• dharma
• artha
• kāma

FAQs

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

Rajadharma: a ruler must balance artha and dharma; when kāma dominates decision-making, the polity and family order collapse into suffering.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma generalizes Daśaratha’s predicament into a moral warning about kingship and the dangers of desire-driven governance.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s moral reasoning—he interprets events through ethical categories (artha/dharma/kāma), not merely personal grievance.