Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 62, Shloka 14

अयोध्याकाण्डे द्विषष्टितमः सर्गः

Kausalyā consoles Daśaratha; grief, remorse, and nightfall

Devanagari script

जानामि धर्मं धर्मज्ञ त्वां जाने सत्यवादिनम्।पुत्रशोकार्तया तत्तु मया किमपि भाषितम्।।।।

Transliteration

jānāmi dharmaṃ dharmajña tvāṃ jāne satyavādinam | putra-śokārtayā tat tu mayā kim api bhāṣitam || 2.62.14 ||

Translation

我知晓正法，正法的明达者啊；我也知道你是说真语之人。但因丧子之痛所逼，我说了不当之言。

Word by Word

• जानामि: I know
• जानामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; Present 1st sg

• धर्मम्: dharma
• धर्मम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; Accusative singular masculine

• धर्मज्ञ: O knower of dharma
• धर्मज्ञ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (धर्मं जानाति), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; Vocative singular masculine

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• जाने: I know/recognize
• जाने: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; Present 1st sg (I know/recognize)

• सत्यवादिनम्: truth-speaker
• सत्यवादिनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य + वादिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सत्यं वदति), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; Accusative singular masculine

• पुत्रशोकार्तया: by (me) afflicted with grief for a son
• पुत्रशोकार्तया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुत्र + शोक + आर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पुत्रस्य शोकः तेन आर्ता), तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग; Instrumental singular feminine

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; Demonstrative (that)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrastive)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• किम्: something
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्न-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; used indefinitively with अपि

• अपि: some/at all
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (indefinite with किम्: something/any)

• भाषितम्: was spoken
• भाषितम्: Kriya-phala (क्रियाफल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (PPP used substantively), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; Neuter singular (what was spoken)

Context

O righteous one! I know the path of dharma. I also know that you are a truthful. Afflicted with grief on account of my son, I spoke somewhat harshly.

Characters & Entities

• Kausalya
• Dasharatha
• Rama
• Dharma
• Satya (truth)

FAQs

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

It teaches accountability in speech: even when grief overwhelms, one should return to dharma by acknowledging wrongdoing and honoring truth (satya) in the other.

What is the narrative situation?

Kausalya retracts her earlier harshness, affirming Dasharatha’s truthfulness and admitting her words arose from sorrow for Rama.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Kausalya’s honesty and repentance are emphasized; Dasharatha’s satya (truthfulness) is explicitly praised.