Shloka 112

पम्पा

तीर-वर्णनम् / Rama’s Lament at Pampa and the Approach to Rishyamuka

Devanagari script

किं नु वक्ष्यामि कौसल्यामयोध्यायां नृपात्मज।क्व सा स्नुषेति पृच्छन्तीं कथं चापि तु मनस्विनीम्।।।।

Transliteration

kiṃ nu vakṣyāmi kausalyām ayodhyāyāṃ nṛpātmaja | kva sā snuṣeti pṛcchantīṃ kathaṃ cāpi tu manasvinīm ||

Translation

王子啊，当我在阿踰陀面对心志高洁的考萨利耶，她问我“那位儿媳在哪里？”时，我又能说什么？我又怎能回答她呢？

Word by Word

• किम्: what
• किम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्न-सर्वनाम

• नु: indeed, then
• नु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नु (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न/अनुनय-अव्यय (interrogative/emphatic particle)

• वक्ष्यामि: shall I say/tell
• वक्ष्यामि: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कौसल्याम्: to Kausalyā
• कौसल्याम्: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौसल्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अयोध्यायाम्: in Ayodhyā
• अयोध्यायाम्: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयोध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नृप-आत्मज: O prince (king’s son)
• नृप-आत्मज: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (राज्ञः पुत्रः)

• क्व: where
• क्व: देशाधिकरण (Locative adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb of place)

• सा: she/that (daughter-in-law)
• सा: कर्ता (Subject within quoted question)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• स्नुषा: daughter-in-law
• स्नुषा: कर्ता (Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नुषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: प्रकार (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/प्रकार-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• पृच्छन्तीम्: (her) asking/inquiring
• पृच्छन्तीम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ; present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: प्रकाराधिकरण (Manner adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb of manner)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चय-अव्यय (also/even)

• तु: but
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अवधारण-अव्यय (but/indeed)

• मनस्विनीम्: high-minded, resolute
• मनस्विनीम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनस्विनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying कौसल्याम् understood: ‘that high-minded (lady)’)

Context

'O Prince, what can I tell the highminded Kausalya at Ayodhya when she asks the whereabouts of her daughter-in-law'?

Characters & Entities

• Kausalya
• Ayodhya
• Sita (as snuṣā—daughter-in-law)
• Lakshmana (addressed as nṛpātmaja in some interpretive traditions; here a direct address)

FAQs

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

Dharma involves truthfulness and duty toward family elders; Rama anticipates the morally painful necessity of answering Kausalya honestly while bearing grief responsibly.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama imagines returning (or being questioned) in Ayodhya and facing Kausalya’s inquiry about Sita’s whereabouts.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s sensitivity to familial obligations and reverence toward Kausalya’s noble character.