Shloka 13

पञ्चदशः सर्गः — देवकृत-प्रार्थना, रावणवधोपायः, विष्णोः मानुषावतारनियोजनम्

Sarga 15: The Devas’ Petition, the Means to Slay Ravana, and Vishnu’s Commission to Incarnate as Man

Devanagari script

तेन गन्धर्वयक्षाणां देवदानवरक्षसाम्।अवध्योऽस्मीति वागुक्ता तथेत्युक्तं च तन्मया।।1.15.13।।

Transliteration

tena gandharva-yakṣāṇāṃ deva-dānava-rākṣasām | avadhyo ’smīti vāg uktā tathety uktaṃ ca tan mayā ||

Translation

لقد سأل قائلاً: «اجعلني غيرَ قابلٍ للقتل على يد الغندرفا والياكشا، والآلهة، والدانافا، والراكشاسا»؛ فقلتُ له أنا أيضاً: «ليكن كذلك».

Word by Word

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Kartr̥/Hetu (कर्तृ/हेतु; ‘by him’ in passive/reporting sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (instrumental singular)

• गन्धर्वयक्षाणाम्: of the Gandharvas and Yakṣas
• गन्धर्वयक्षाणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; genitive—‘of/among’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (गन्धर्वाश्च यक्षाश्च)

• देवदानवरक्षसाम्: of the gods, Dānavas and Rākṣasas
• देवदानवरक्षसाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; genitive—‘of/among’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + दानव (प्रातिपदिक) + राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; बहुपद-द्वन्द्व (देवाश्च दानवाश्च राक्षसाश्च)

• अवध्यः: not to be slain, invincible
• अवध्यः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-अन्वय; predicate to अहम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Kriyā (क्रिया; copula)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), परस्मैपद; उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Vākyārtha-dyotaka (वाक्यार्थ-द्योतक; quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्य-समाप्ति/उद्धरण-चिह्न (quotative particle)

• वाक्: speech, words
• वाक्: Karta (कर्ता; subject of उक्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• उक्ता: was spoken
• उक्ता: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-अन्वय; predicate adjective to वाक्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उक्त (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) agreeing with वाक्

• तथा: so, thus
• तथा: Prakāra (प्रकार; manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb: ‘so’)

• इति: thus
• इति: Vākyārtha-dyotaka (वाक्यार्थ-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-चिह्न (quotative particle)

• उक्तम्: was said
• उक्तम्: Kriyā (क्रिया; passive predicate with implied ‘asti’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उक्त (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त—‘(it) was said’ (impersonal/passive usage)

• च: and
• च: Samucchaya (समुच्चय; coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• तत्: that (boon/statement)
• तत्: Karma (कर्म; object of implied ‘accepted/said’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr̥ (कर्तृ; agent—‘by me’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; अस्मद्-शब्द (instrumental singular)

Context

When he asked gandharvas, yakshas, gods, demons or rakshasas should never be able to kill him, I said, "So be it".

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Devas
• Gandharvas
• Yakṣas
• Dānavas
• Rākṣasas
• Rāvaṇa (implied as the boon-seeker)

FAQs

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

Satya and dharma appear as fidelity to granted words: Brahmā honors the boon once given, showing that cosmic order includes keeping one’s pledged truth.

What is the narrative situation?

Brahmā recounts the earlier boon-request that made the rākṣasa safe from many classes of beings.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Truthfulness and consistency in authority—once a vow/boon is given, it is not lightly revoked.