Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 51, Shloka 17

अयोध्याकाण्डे एकपञ्चाशः सर्गः — Guha’s Vigil and Lakṣmaṇa’s Lament

Night on the riverbank

Devanagari script

कथं पुत्रं महात्मानं ज्येष्ठं प्रियमपश्यतः।शरीरं धारयिष्यन्ति प्राणा राज्ञो महात्मनः।।।।

Transliteration

kathaṃ putraṃ mahātmānaṃ jyeṣṭhaṃ priyam apaśyataḥ | śarīraṃ dhārayiṣyanti prāṇā rājño mahātmanaḥ ||

Translation

Làm sao sinh khí của vị đại vương cao quý có thể nâng đỡ thân này, khi người không được thấy người con trưởng chí lớn, yêu dấu của mình?

Word by Word

• katham: how?
• katham: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• putram: son
• putram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• mahātmānam: great-souled
• mahātmānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; qualifies putram

• jyeṣṭham: eldest
• jyeṣṭham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jyeṣṭha (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; qualifies putram

• priyam: beloved
• priyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; qualifies putram

• apaśyataḥ: of (him) not seeing
• apaśyataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: a-√paś (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; ‘of (the king) not seeing’

• śarīram: body
• śarīram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• dhārayiṣyanti: will sustain/hold
• dhārayiṣyanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• prāṇāḥ: vital breaths/life
• prāṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• rājñaḥ: of the king
• rājñaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• mahātmanaḥ: of the great-souled
• mahātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; qualifies rājñaḥ

Context

Subsequent to the death of the king, Kausalya will die and my mother will follow her.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Rāma

FAQs

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

Filial duty and the dharmic bond between father and son: separation caused by unjust circumstances can become a moral and emotional catastrophe.

What is the narrative situation?

The speaker fears that Daśaratha may not survive the anguish of being deprived of Rāma’s presence.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Empathy and gratitude—recognizing the father’s love and the cost of political wrongdoing.