Valmiki Ramayana 2.13.21 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 13, Shloka 21

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

Devanagari script

शून्ये न खलु सुश्रोणि मयेदं समुदाहृतम्।।।।कुरु साधु प्रसादं मे बाले सहृदया ह्यसि।

Transliteration

śūnye na khalu suśroṇi mayedaṃ samudāhṛtam |

kuru sādhu prasādaṃ me bāle sahṛdayā hy asi |

Translation

美臀的夫人啊，我这些话并非说给虚空听。少女啊，请赐我此恩，因为你确有一颗慈悲之心。

Word by Word

• śūnye: in emptiness; in vain
• śūnye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūnya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• khalu: indeed
• khalu: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: khalu (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निश्चय/अनुनयार्थक-अव्यय)

• suśroṇi: O fair-hipped lady
• suśroṇi: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su-śroṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन); ‘fair-hipped’

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• idam: this
• idam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (इदम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• samudāhṛtam: has been uttered; declared
• samudāhṛtam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + hṛ (हृ धातु) with sam-ud- + kta
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with idam

• kuru: do; grant
• kuru: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada

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

• prasādam: favor; grace
• prasādam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prasāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• me: to me
• me: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

• bāle: O young lady
• bāle: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bālā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• sahṛdayā: kind-hearted
• sahṛdayā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa-hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); bahuvrīhi: ‘one who has a (good) heart’

• hi: indeed; for
• hi: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (हेतु/निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय)

• asi: you are
• asi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस् धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada

Context

O lady with fair hips, I hope whatever I have said has not been a cry in the (empty) sky. O young lady show me this favour. Surely you are kind-hearted.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī

FAQs

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

Dharma is sustained by responsiveness to rightful plea; ignoring sincere supplication is portrayed as moral hardness, while kindness of heart is upheld as the proper standard.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha continues to beseech Kaikeyī, hoping his words will move her and not vanish without effect.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The virtue invoked is compassion (sahṛdayatā). Daśaratha appeals to Kaikeyī’s better nature, even as the narrative elsewhere questions it.