Valmiki Ramayana 2.63.32: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 63, Shloka 32

दशरथस्य शोकानुचिन्तनं शब्धवेधि-दोषस्मरणं च

Daśaratha’s grief, karmic reflection, and the remembered ‘śabdavedhī’ misdeed

Addressed to DasharathaSetting: Forest (context continues)

Devanagari script

एवं निष्फलमारब्धं केवलानर्थसंहितम् ।

न कश्चित्साधु मन्येत यथैव गुरुतल्पगम् ॥३२॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.63.32

Transliteration

evaṃ niṣphalam ārabdhaṃ kevalānartha-saṃhitam |

na kaścit sādhu manyeta yathaiva gurutalpagam ||32||

Translation

ایسا کام جو بے مقصد شروع کیا گیا ہو، بے ثمر ہو اور محض نقصان ہی نقصان پر مشتمل ہو—کوئی نیک آدمی اسے پسند نہ کرے گا، جیسے گرو کے بستر کی بے حرمتی کا مہاپاپ۔

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Word by Word

• na: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)

• aham: I
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• tathā: so much
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (‘so much/in that way’)
• Role: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)

• anu: after, over
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय/उपसर्ग (preverb), here as particle with verb ‘regret/grieve after’
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• śocāmi: I grieve
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śuc (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• jīvita-kṣayam: loss of life
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvita (प्रातिपदिक) + kṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘loss of life’), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• ātmanaḥ: of myself
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)

• mātaram: mother
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• pitaram: father
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction ‘and’)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• ubhau: both
• Type: Noun
• Root: ubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विवचन-प्रयोग (dual), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया द्विवचन; मातरं पितरं इत्ययोः समाहारः
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• anuśocāmi: I grieve for
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√śuc (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘I grieve for’
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• mad-vadhe: at/after my death
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (प्रातिपदिक; asmad-śabda) + vadha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘my killing/death’), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन; निमित्त/अवसर (on account of)
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

Sandhi Notes

• nāhaṃ = na + aham
• tathā'nu = tathā + anu
• cōbhau = ca + ubhau
• ubhāvanuśocāmi = ubhau + anuśocāmi
• madvadhe = mad + vadhe

Context

'Whoever it is, he has committed only a mischievous and senseless act. This sin like a disciple sleeping on the bed of his preceptor none will approve of.

The teaching

An act that is purposeless and harmful is condemned by the good; dharma requires both right aim and non-harm.

Duties in tension

• Power-holder’s freedom of action vs accountability to sādhu/ethical norms
• Impulse/aimless violence vs dharmic intentionality (artha and hita)

Ethical theme

Adharma / mahāpātaka-analogy

How it resolves

Normative condemnation; establishes moral culpability despite lack of intent

For your practice

Self-audit of intentions (saṅkalpa-śuddhi) and avoidance of harm; aligning actions with ‘sādhu-mata’.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Raudra (fury), with Karuna (compassion)

Mood

Indignant, judgmental, grave

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Itihasa
• Ethics
• Sin (pāpa)
• Condemnation of unjust violence

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• guru (teacher/preceptor)

FAQs

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

Actions that are purposelessly harmful are adharma; righteous society condemns them as it condemns major transgressions (mahāpātaka-like sins).

What is the narrative situation?

The victim morally indicts the shooter’s act as senseless harm, comparing it to a universally condemned grave offense.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral discernment and adherence to dharmic standards—he articulates communal ethical judgment of wrongdoing.