Valmiki Ramayana 2.24.2 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 24, Shloka 2

कौशल्यारामसंवादः

Kausalya–Rama Dialogue on Exile-Dharma

Devanagari script

अदृष्टदुःखो धर्मात्मा सर्वभूतप्रियंवदः।मयि जातो दशरथात्कथमुञ्छेन वर्तयेत्।।2.24.2।।

Transliteration

adṛṣṭa-duḥkho dharmātmā sarva-bhūta-priyaṃ-vadaḥ | mayi jāto daśarathāt katham uñchena vartayet || 2.24.2 ||

Translation

Rāma, bậc hiền thiện theo pháp, lời nói dịu dàng với muôn loài, xưa nay chưa từng biết khổ; con do Daśaratha sinh cho thiếp—làm sao có thể sống bằng cách nhặt nhạnh những hạt thóc rơi vãi?

Word by Word

• adṛṣṭa-duḥkhaḥ: one who has not seen sorrow
• adṛṣṭa-duḥkhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adṛṣṭa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, dṛś धातु) + duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: ‘not-seen sorrow’ = ‘one who has not experienced sorrow’

• dharmātmā: righteous-souled
• dharmātmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः: yasya ātmā dharmaḥ saḥ

• sarva-bhūta-priyaṃ-vadaḥ: speaker of pleasant words to all beings
• sarva-bhūta-priyaṃ-vadaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūta (प्रातिपदिक) + priya (प्रातिपदिक) + vada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः: sarveṣu bhūteṣu priyaṃ vadati iti

• mayi: in me / to me
• mayi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम

• jātaḥ: born
• jātaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अर्थ: ‘born’

• daśarathāt: from Dasaratha
• daśarathāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśaratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन

• katham: how
• katham: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• uñchena: by gleaning
• uñchena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uñcha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘gleaning/collecting fallen grains’

• vartayet: could maintain
• vartayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛt (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative sense in context ‘maintain (oneself)’

Context

How will this righteous Rama, born to me through Dasaratha, who speaks pleasantly to all, and who has not experienced any sorrow before live on the grains gleaned?

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Kauśalyā
• Daśaratha

FAQs

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

Dharma is portrayed as costly: Kauśalyā recognizes Rāma’s righteousness yet worries about the real, bodily hardship that dharma may demand—making the moral choice emotionally and practically weighty.

What is the narrative situation?

Kauśalyā reflects with anguish on how the sheltered Rāma will endure austere forest living, including subsisting by gleaning.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s gentle conduct toward all beings and his dharmic disposition are praised, while Kauśalyā’s maternal compassion frames the scene.