Shloka 22

षष्ठस्सर्गः — तपस्विरक्षणे राजधर्मोपदेशः

Sarga 6: The Sages’ Appeal and Instruction on Royal Duty

Devanagari script

नैवमर्हथ मां वक्तुमाज्ञाप्योऽहं तपस्विनाम्।केवलेनात्मकार्येण प्रवेष्टव्यं मया वनं।।।।

Transliteration

naivam arhatha māṃ vaktum ājñāpyo'haṃ tapasvinām | kevalenātmakāryeṇa praveṣṭavyaṃ mayā vanaṃ ||

Translation

So sollt ihr nicht zu mir sprechen; ich bin einer, der von Asketen zu befehlen ist. Auch bin ich nicht bloß um eines privaten Anliegens willen in den Wald eingetreten.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीति-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• अर्हथ: you ought / it befits you
• अर्हथ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (acc. sg.)

• वक्तुम्: to speak (to)
• वक्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/infinitive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive); कर्मप्रवचनम्

• आज्ञाप्यः: one who should be commanded
• आज्ञाप्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ√ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त भाव्य/कर्तव्य (gerundive: 'to be ordered')

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्ता (nom. sg.)

• तपस्विनाम्: of the ascetics
• तपस्विनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (gen. pl.)

• केवलेन: only, solely
• केवलेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/हेतु-भाव (instr. sg.)

• आत्मकार्येण: with (my) personal task
• आत्मकार्येण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्म-कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (one's own purpose)

• प्रवेष्टव्यम्: must be entered
• प्रवेष्टव्यम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√विश् (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तव्य (gerundive: 'to be entered')

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr-karana (कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; कर्तृ-करण (instr. sg.)

• वनम्: forest
• वनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (acc. sg.)

Context

You should not speak to me this way. I deserve to be commanded by the ascetics. I have not entered this forest only on a personal mission.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Forest (Araṇya)

FAQs

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

Dharma joins power with humility: even a prince treats ascetics as moral superiors and frames his forest-life as duty, not self-interest.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma begins his reply, correcting the tone of praise and clarifying his role as one obligated to serve and protect the tapasvins.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vinaya (humility) and satya (candour): Rāma truthfully states he is not in the forest only for personal ends.