Shloka 26

तपस्विनाम् औत्सुक्यं राक्षसत्रासश्च

Ascetics’ Anxiety and the Fear of Rakshasas

Devanagari script

आश्रममृषिविरहितं प्रभुः क्षणमपिन जहौ स राघवः।राघवं हि सततमनुगता स्तापसाश्चार्षचरित धृतगुणाः।।2.116.26।।

Transliteration

āśramam ṛṣivirahitaṃ prabhuḥ kṣaṇam api na jahau sa rāghavaḥ | rāghavaṃ hi satatam anugatāḥ tāpasāś cārṣacarita-dhṛtaguṇāḥ || 2.116.26 ||

Translation

Jener Herr, Rāghava, verließ den nun der ṛṣis beraubten Āśrama nicht einmal für einen Augenblick; und die Asketen, standhaft in Tugend und der Überlieferung der Weisen treu, begleiteten Rāghava unablässig.

Word by Word

• āśramam: the hermitage
• āśramam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āśrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• ṛṣi-virahitam: devoid of sages
• ṛṣi-virahitam: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक) + virahita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः ऋषिभिः विरहितम् (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)

• prabhuḥ: the lord
• prabhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• kṣaṇam: for a moment
• kṣaṇam: Kāla (काल/Duration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कालपरिमाणे (accusative of duration)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• jahau: left/abandoned
• jahau: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hā (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• rāghavaḥ: Raghava (Rama)
• rāghavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; (apposition to saḥ)

• rāghavam: Rama
• rāghavam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis)

• satatam: always
• satatam: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• anugatāḥ: followed
• anugatāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu+gam (धातु) + anugata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) = 'followed'

• tāpasāḥ: ascetics
• tāpasāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāpasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• ārṣa-carite: in the conduct of sages / according to sage-tradition
• ārṣa-carite: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ārṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + carita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः ऋषीणां चरितम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• dhṛta-guṇāḥ: steadfast in virtues
• dhṛta-guṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhṛta (कृदन्त) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; समासः धृताः गुणाः येषाम् (बहुव्रीहि-प्रायः), परन्तु रूपतः कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रयोग; अर्थतः 'स्थिरगुणाः'

Context

O dear child, how can good-natured Sita who is always engaged in performing auspicious deeds, especially towards ascetics be associated with violation of duty?

Characters & Entities

• Rāghava (Rāma)
• āśrama (hermitage)
• ṛṣis (sages)
• tāpasas (ascetics)

FAQs

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

Dharma is steadfast duty and solidarity: Rāma remains committed to the āśrama’s welfare, while the ascetics uphold seerly tradition and accompany him in mutual trust.

What is the narrative situation?

A narrative summary states that Rāma did not leave the hermitage even briefly, and that virtuous ascetics continued to follow him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s unwavering steadiness (dhṛti) and the ascetics’ disciplined adherence to ārṣa-conduct and virtues.