Shloka 17

दशमः सर्गः — Rama’s Vow to Protect the Sages of Daṇḍaka

Dharma of Refuge

Devanagari script

मया चैतद्वचश्श्रुत्वा कार्त्स्न्येन परिपालनम्।ऋषीणां दण्डकारण्ये संश्रुतं जनकात्मजे।।।।

Transliteration

mayā caitad vacaḥ śrutvā kārtsnyena paripālanam |

ṛṣīṇāṁ daṇḍakāraṇye saṁśrutaṁ janakātmaje ||

Translation

O Tochter Janakas, nachdem ich ihre Worte in ganzer Fülle vernommen hatte, gelobte ich, die Rishis im Dandaka-Wald vollständig und ohne Abstrich zu beschützen.

Word by Word

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karta (कर्ता; agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; कर्तृ-करणभावे 'by me'

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

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म; object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; 'this' qualifying 'vacaḥ' (collective)

• vacaḥ: words/speech
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; 'speech/words' object of śrutvā

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Kriya (क्रिया; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (श्रु धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); 'having heard' (पूर्वकाल)

• kārtsnyena: entirely/in full
• kārtsnyena: Karana (करण; manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārtsnya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; manner/extent = 'in full/entirely'

• paripālanam: protection
• paripālanam: Karma (कर्म; thing promised)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pari-pālana (प्रातिपदिक; from pāl धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; predicate/thing promised

• ṛṣīṇām: of sages
• ṛṣīṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; genitive 'of sages'

• daṇḍakāraṇye: in the Dandaka forest
• daṇḍakāraṇye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṇḍaka-araṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; location

• saṃśrutam: was promised
• saṃśrutam: Kriya (क्रिया; predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-śru (संश्रु धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; 'promised/undertaken' agreeing with paripālanam

• janakātmaje: O daughter of Janaka
• janakātmaje: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन; address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janaka-ātmajā (प्रातिपदिक; components: जनक + आत्मजा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Context

O daughter of Janaka, you are conversant with dharma. Whatever you have admonished out of affection for me is befitting your race.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Sita
• Janaka
• Dandaka forest (Daṇḍakāraṇya)
• sages (ṛṣi)

FAQs

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

Dharma as protective responsibility: hearing the righteous appeal obligates a capable protector to commit fully, not partially.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama tells Sita that he formally promised the Dandaka sages complete protection after listening to their request.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reliability in duty—Rama’s readiness to bind himself to a comprehensive pledge.