Valmiki Ramayana 2.34.3: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 34, Shloka 3

रामदर्शनार्थं दारानयनम्

The Queens Summoned; Rama’s Leave-Taking and Dasaratha’s Collapse

Devanagari script

उपरक्तमिवादित्यं भस्मच्छन्नमिवानलम्।तटाकमिव निस्तोयमपश्यज्जगतीपतिम्।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.34.3

Transliteration

uparaktam ivādityaṃ bhasmacchannam ivānalam |

taṭākam iva nistoyam apaśyaj jagatīpatim ||

Translation

Ngài nhìn thấy chúa tể cõi đất (Daśaratha) đã trở nên u ám: như mặt trời bị thực che, như lửa bị tro phủ lấp, như ao hồ cạn khô không còn nước.

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Word by Word

• उपरक्तम्: eclipsed/reddened
• उपरक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-रञ्ज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (आदित्यम्)

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उपमार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-वाचक अव्यय

• आदित्यम्: the sun
• आदित्यम्: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• भस्म-छन्नम्: covered with ashes
• भस्म-छन्नम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भस्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + छन्न (कृदन्त from छद्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘covered with ashes’)

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उपमार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-वाचक अव्यय

• अनलम्: fire
• अनलम्: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तटाकम्: a tank/pond
• तटाकम्: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तटाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उपमार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-वाचक अव्यय

• निस्तोयम्: waterless
• निस्तोयम्: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः-स्तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘without water’)

• अपश्यत्: saw
• अपश्यत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• जगती-पतिम्: the lord of the world (king)
• जगती-पतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगती (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘lord of the earth/world’)

Context

On seeing Rama, unruffled, waiting for his permission to proceed to the forest, the lord of the earth, king Dasaratha said:

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Daśaratha (jagatīpati)

FAQs

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

The verse frames the king’s inner collapse as a moral and emotional consequence of a dharmic crisis—when royal duty and truth-bound promises strain the heart, even a powerful ruler can appear 'eclipsed.'

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma sees Daśaratha in a weakened, lifeless state, foreshadowing the painful exchange about exile and truth-bound obligations.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Indirectly, Daśaratha’s truth-binding (satya) and sense of duty are implied as forces that, though righteous, weigh heavily upon him.