Shloka 21

जामदग्न्य

रामसंवादः — Parashurama Confronts Rama with the Vaishnava Bow

Devanagari script

इदं च वैष्णवं राम धनु: परपुरञ्जयम्।ऋचीके भार्गवे प्रादाद्विष्णु: स न्यासमुत्तमम्।।।।

Transliteration

idaṃ ca vaiṣṇavaṃ rāma dhanuḥ para-puraṃjayam |

ṛcīke bhārgave prādād viṣṇuḥ sa nyāsam uttamam ||

Translation

হে ৰাম, পৰপুৰ জয় কৰিব পৰা এই বৈষ্ণৱ ধনু বিষ্ণুৱে ভৃগুবংশীয় ঋচীকক উত্তম ন্যাসৰূপে অৰ্পণ কৰিছিল।

Word by Word

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1/2 विभक्ति), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• vaiṣṇavam: Vaiṣṇava; belonging to Viṣṇu
• vaiṣṇavam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaiṣṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2 विभक्ति), Singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying dhanuḥ

• rāma: O Rāma
• rāma: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8 विभक्ति), Singular (एकवचन); संबोधन

• dhanuḥ: bow
• dhanuḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2 विभक्ति), Singular (एकवचन)

• parapurañjayam: conqueror of enemy cities
• parapurañjayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para + pura + jaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2 विभक्ति), Singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying dhanuḥ

• ṛcīke: in/with Ṛcīka
• ṛcīke: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛcīka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7 विभक्ति), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhārgave: to Bhārgava (of Bhṛgu’s line)
• bhārgave: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhārgava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (4 विभक्ति), Singular (एकवचन)

• prādāt: gave
• prādāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (दा धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्, aorist/past), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• viṣṇuḥ: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇuḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1 विभक्ति), Singular (एकवचन)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1 विभक्ति), Singular (एकवचन); pronoun referring to Viṣṇu

• nyāsam: a deposit; trust
• nyāsam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2 विभक्ति), Singular (एकवचन)

• uttamam: best, excellent
• uttamam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2 विभक्ति), Singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying nyāsam

Context

This bow of Visnu, O Rama! capable of conquering hostile cities, was given in trust to Richika belonging to the race of Bhrigu.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Vaiṣṇava bow
• Ṛcīka

FAQs

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

Power is a ‘trust’ (nyāsa): sacred capability is transmitted to the worthy and must be borne with responsibility and truthfulness.

What is the narrative situation?

Paraśurāma identifies the second bow as Vaiṣṇava and traces its custodial lineage beginning with Viṣṇu’s entrustment to Ṛcīka.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reliability and worthiness: Ṛcīka is presented as fit to receive and safeguard a supreme deposit.