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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 2.98.22

Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 98: Bharata’s appeal and Rāma’s answer. Bharata asks him to restore the Kingdom, Rāma teaches the inevitability of loss, separation and death

In the sequence: each day diminishes life, even when people greet the passing days and seasons with joy

2.98.22

gātreṣu valayaḥ prāptāḥ śvetāś caiva śiroruhāḥ
jarayā puruṣo jīrṇaḥ kiṃ hi kṛtvā prabhāvayet

Wrinkles have settled upon the limbs and the hair has turned white; when a man is worn out by old age, by what means could he restore his vigor?

Words: gātreṣu — on the limbs; valayaḥ prāptāḥ — wrinkles have come; śvetāś caiva — and white; śiroruhāḥ — the hairs of the head; jarayā — by old age; puruṣo jīrṇaḥ — a man worn out; kiṃ hi kṛtvā — by doing what indeed; prabhāvayet — could he make thrive, restore

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.