Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 18, Shloka 9

शरणागति

धर्मनिर्णयः (Decision on Refuge and Dharma) / Rama’s Vow of Protection and the Acceptance of Vibhishana

Devanagari script

अस्तिसूक्ष्मतरंकिंचिद्यदत्रप्रतिभातिमे ।प्रत्यक्षंलौकिकंचापिविद्यतेसर्वराजसु ।।।।

Transliteration

asti sūkṣmataraṃ kiṃcid yad atra pratibhāti me | pratyakṣaṃ laukikaṃ cāpi vidyate sarvarājasu ||

Translation

“Yet, in this matter, something even subtler occurs to me—something that is plainly known in the worldly sphere, and is found among all kings.”

Word by Word

• अस्ति: there is
• अस्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• सूक्ष्मतरम्: more subtle
• सूक्ष्मतरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण) of "किंचित्"
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; तरप्-प्रत्यय (comparative)

• किंचित्: something, a little
• किंचित्: Karta (कर्ता) with "अस्ति"
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंचिद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम-प्रयोग)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; अनिश्चित-प्रमाण (indefinite)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karta (कर्ता) with "प्रतिभाति"
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• अत्र: here, in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण) (context/location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb: here/in this matter)

• प्रतिभाति: appears, strikes (the mind)
• प्रतिभाति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-भा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• मे: to me / of me
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान) (to me) / Sambandha (relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (Gen/Dat), एकवचन; enclitic

• प्रत्यक्षम्: directly, openly
• प्रत्यक्षम्: Visheshana (विशेषण) of implied "(एतत्)" / manner
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रत्यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (used adverbially: openly)

• लौकिकम्: worldly, common
• लौकिकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लौकिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रत्यक्षम् इति सह समुच्चित-विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction: and)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चय (particle: also/even)

• विद्यते: is found, exists
• विद्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु) + यक् (passive/भावे)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; भावे/कर्मणि-प्रयोग (exists/is found)

• सर्वराजसु: among all kings
• सर्वराजसु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण) (among/in)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी (Locative/सप्तमी), बहुवचन (Plural); समास: सर्व-राज (determinative: all kings)

Context

"That which has been spoken by the Lord of monkeys in this way is not possible for one who has not studied sastras or served the elders."

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (speaker)
• Kings (Sarvarāja)

FAQs

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

Rajadharma: a ruler must balance moral duty with worldly realities, discerning subtle motives and consequences while remaining anchored in truth.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma transitions from praising counsel to offering a deeper, kingly perspective on how to judge the situation of a potential defector/refugee.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s discernment (viveka) and statecraft—he recognizes both ethical ideals and practical patterns ‘among kings’.