Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 58, Shloka 15

त्रिशङ्कुशापः

Trishanku’s Curse and Appeal to Viśvāmitra

Devanagari script

किमागमनकार्यं ते राजपुत्र महाबल।अयोध्याधिपते वीर शापाच्चण्डालतां गत:।।।।

Transliteration

kim āgamana-kāryaṃ te rāja-putra mahābala |

ayodhyādhipate vīra śāpāc caṇḍālatāṃ gataḥ ||1.58.15||

Translation

“你为何而来，强大的王子啊——阿逾陀之主、英勇者啊——如今你因诅咒而堕入旃陀罗之境？”

Word by Word

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• आगमनकार्यं: purpose of coming
• आगमनकार्यं: Karma (कर्म/Object; predicate in question)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आगमन + कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (purpose of coming)

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘your’

• राजपुत्र: O prince
• राजपुत्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (son of a king)

• महाबल: O mighty one
• महाबल: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन; epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (greatly strong)

• अयोध्याधिपते: O lord of Ayodhyā
• अयोध्याधिपते: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयोध्या + अधिपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (lord of Ayodhyā)

• वीर: O hero
• वीर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• शापात्: from the curse
• शापात्: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; हेतौ (cause): from/because of a curse

• चण्डालताम्: chandalahood
• चण्डालताम्: Karma (कर्म/Object/Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्डालता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• गतः: (you) have attained
• गतः: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘gone/attained’ (predicative)

Context

"O Mighty prince! what brings your here, for you are the heroic lord of Ayodhya? Whose curse turned you into a chandala"?

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• Triśaṅku
• Ayodhyā
• Curse (śāpa)

FAQs

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

Dharma requires truthful inquiry before action: Viśvāmitra compassionately asks the facts—why he came and how the curse occurred—so help can be given wisely.

What is the narrative situation?

After greeting him, Viśvāmitra asks Triśaṅku to explain the reason for his arrival and the curse that caused his chandāla condition.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudence joined with compassion: he honors Triśaṅku’s royal identity while directly acknowledging the reality of the curse.