Valmiki Ramayana 2.13.20 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 13, Shloka 20

अयोध्याकाण्डे त्रयोदशः सर्गः | Kaikeyi Presses the Boons; Dasaratha’s Lament and Collapse

Devanagari script

साधु वृत्तस्य दीनस्य त्वद्गतस्य गतायुषः।।2.1.20।।प्रसादः क्रियतां देवि भद्रे राज्ञो विशेषतः।

Transliteration

sādhu vṛttasya dīnasya tvadgatasya gatāyuṣaḥ |

prasādaḥ kriyatāṃ devi bhadre rājño viśeṣataḥ |

Translation

Ôi hoàng hậu, bậc hiền thục, xin hãy ban ân cho thiếp: cho kẻ khốn cùng mà giữ đạo hạnh, một lòng hướng về nàng, tuổi thọ gần cạn—nhất là vì thiếp chính là quân vương của nàng.

Word by Word

• sādhu: well; rightly
• sādhu: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sādhu (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (प्रशंसार्थक/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय)

• vṛttasya: of well-behaved
• vṛttasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vṛtta (वृत् धातु, क्त)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); ‘of well-conducted’

• dīnasya: of the wretched
• dīnasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• tvad-gatasya: of one devoted to you
• tvad-gatasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tvad (युष्मद्) + gata (गम् धातु, क्त)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); ‘gone to you’ = devoted to you

• gata-āyuṣaḥ: of one near death
• gata-āyuṣaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gata (गम् धातु, क्त) + āyus (आयुस् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); ‘whose life has gone’

• prasādaḥ: favor; grace
• prasādaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prasāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• kriyatām: let it be done
• kriyatām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: Imperative passive (लोट्, कर्मणि), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• devi: O queen; O goddess
• devi: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhadre: O gentle one
• bhadre: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• rājñaḥ: of the king
• rājñaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (राजन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• viśeṣataḥ: especially
• viśeṣataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (विशेषणार्थक-अव्यय)

Context

O gentle queen, I am an old man and my life is almost over. I am a wretch devoted to you. I am a man of good conduct. Do me this favour especially as I am king.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī

FAQs

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

Dharma includes dayā (compassion): Daśaratha appeals to humane consideration and the moral duty to treat an aged, afflicted person with mercy.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha, broken and fearful of the consequences, begs Kaikeyī to relent and show him grace.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Humility and dependence on compassion—Daśaratha lowers himself to pleading, underscoring how severe the crisis has become.