Valmiki Ramayana 2.52.46 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 52, Shloka 46

गङ्गातरणम्, सुमन्त्र-प्रतिनिवर्तनम्, जटाधारणम्

Crossing the Gaṅgā; Sumantra’s Return; Adoption of Ascetic Signs

Devanagari script

असत्यमपि नैवाहं ब्रूयां वचनमीदृशम्।कथमप्रियमेवाहं ब्रूयां सत्यमिदं वचः।।2.52.46।।

Transliteration

asatyam api naivāhaṃ brūyāṃ vacanam īdṛśam | katham apriyam evāhaṃ brūyāṃ satyam idaṃ vacaḥ ||

Translation

Dẫu vậy, ta cũng không thể thốt ra lời như thế, lời dối trá. Nhưng làm sao ta nói được lời thật này, khi nó đau đớn đến thế?

Word by Word

• asatyam: untruth
• asatyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Privative a-; Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) = ‘even’

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध)

• eva: at all/indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Nominative, Singular

• brūyām: would speak
• brūyām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 1st Person, Singular; Parasmaipada

• vacanam: words/speech
• vacanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• īdṛśam: such (as this)
• īdṛśam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: īdṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; qualifies vacanam

• katham: how
• katham: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative adverb (प्रश्न-अव्यय) = ‘how?’

• apriyam: something unpleasant
• apriyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Privative a-; Neuter, Accusative, Singular; object-complement with brūyām

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Nominative, Singular (repeated)

• brūyām: would speak
• brūyām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 1st Person, Singular

• satyam: truth
• satyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; in apposition with idaṃ vacaḥ

• idam: this
• idam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; qualifies vacaḥ

• vacaḥ: speech/word
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular (stem in -as)

Context

How can I lie to her? How can I tell her the unpleasent truth?

Characters & Entities

• Sumantra
• Rāma
• satya (truth)

FAQs

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

The tension between satya (truth) and ahiṃsā/karuṇā (non-harm/compassion) is foregrounded: one must not lie, yet one must also recognize the harm a harsh truth can cause—requiring wise, gentle speech.

What is the narrative situation?

Sumantra reflects on the impossibility of either comforting Kauśalyā with a lie or hurting her with the blunt truth.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral sensitivity—Sumantra’s commitment to truth while feeling compassion for the listener.