Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 57, Shloka 29

सप्तपञ्चाशः सर्गः

Sumantra’s Return to Ayodhya and the Palace’s Lament

Devanagari script

इमं तस्य महाभाग दूतं दुष्करकारिणः।वनवासादनुप्राप्तं कस्मान्न प्रतिभाषसे।।।।

Transliteration

imaṃ tasya mahābhāga dūtaṃ duṣkarakāriṇaḥ | vanavāsād anuprāptaṃ kasmān na pratibhāṣase ||

Translation

大德之王啊，为何不询问这位从林中归来的使者？他是由那位成就艰难事业的罗摩所遣来。

Word by Word

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• तस्य: of him (Rama)
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular

• महाभाग: O noble one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक: महा + भाग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Vocative singular; compound meaning 'greatly fortunate'

• दूतम्: messenger
• दूतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• दुष्करकारिणः: of the accomplisher of hard tasks
• दुष्करकारिणः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्करकारिन् (प्रातिपदिक: दुष्कर + कारिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular qualifying 'तस्य' (of the doer of difficult deeds)

• वनवासात्: from exile in the forest
• वनवासात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वनवास (प्रातिपदिक: वन + वास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Ablative singular (from forest-dwelling)

• अनुप्राप्तम्: arrived/returned
• अनुप्राप्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु-√प्राप् (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय (PPP), agreeing with दूतम्

• कस्मात्: why
• कस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; interrogative; Ablative used adverbially 'why'

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• प्रतिभाषसे: you speak/respond
• प्रतिभाषसे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-√भाष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Context

O distinguished king!, why are you not enquiring from the messenger about him (Rama) who is capable of performing arduous tasks?

Characters & Entities

• Kausalya
• Dasharatha
• Sumantra (messenger implied)
• Rama
• Forest exile (vanavāsa)

FAQs

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

Facing truth with courage: Kausalya urges the king to engage with the messenger and hear reality directly, rather than collapsing into silence.

What is the narrative situation?

Kausalya addresses Dasharatha after his collapse, urging him to speak to Sumantra who has returned from Rama’s forest exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Kausalya’s moral clarity and practical resolve in the midst of grief.