Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 11, Shloka 5

ऋष्यशृङ्गानयनम् — Bringing Ṛśyaśṛṅga to Ayodhyā

Bālakāṇḍa, Sarga 11

Devanagari script

अनपत्योऽस्मि धर्मात्मन् शान्ताभर्ता मम क्रतुम्।आहरेत त्वयाज्ञप्तस्सन्तानार्थं कुलस्य च।।1.11.5।।

Transliteration

anapatyo ’smi dharmātman, śāntābhartā mama kratum āharet tvayājñaptaḥ santānārthaṃ kulasya ca.

Translation

O Rechtschaffener, ich bin ohne Kinder. Weise Ṛśyaśṛṅga—Śāntās Gemahl—an, mein Opferritual zu vollziehen, um Nachkommenschaft zu erlangen und das Fortbestehen meines Geschlechts zu sichern.

Word by Word

• anapatyaḥ: without offspring
• anapatyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anapatya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adjective; Masculine Nominative Singular

• asmi: I am
• asmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: Verb; Dhātu: √as (अस्); Lakāra: Laṭ (लट्, present); Parasmaipada; 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष) Singular

• dharmātman: O righteous-souled one
• dharmātman: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharmātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Vocative Singular; Masculine; compound: dharma + ātman (धर्मः आत्मा यस्य)

• śāntābhartā: husband of Śāntā
• śāntābhartā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāntā-bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine Nominative Singular; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: śāntāyāḥ bhartā

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Genitive Singular

• kratum: sacrifice, rite
• kratum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kratu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine Accusative Singular

• āharet: should bring/perform
• āharet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā+√hṛ (धातु)
• Form: Verb; Dhātu: √hṛ (हृ) with prefix ā- (आ); Lakāra: Liṅ (लिङ्, optative/potential); Parasmaipada; 3rd person Singular

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Instrumental Singular

• ājñaptaḥ: having been instructed/ordered
• ājñaptaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā+√jñā + kta (धातु-कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त); from √jñā (ज्ञा) with prefix ā-; Masculine Nominative Singular; meaning 'having been ordered'

• santānārtham: for progeny
• santānārtham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: santāna-artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter Accusative Singular; compound: santāna + artha (सन्तानस्य अर्थः) used adverbially 'for the sake of progeny'

• kulasya: of the lineage
• kulasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter Genitive Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

Context

O righteous king! I am issueless. Let Rsyasringa, husband of Santa be ordered to perform the a sacrificial ceremony so that I shall be blessed with I son for the perpetuaion of my race.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Romapāda
• Śāntā
• Ṛśyaśṛṅga
• kratu (sacrificial rite)
• kula (dynastic lineage)

FAQs

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

Dharma here is expressed as responsible kingship and lineage-duty: Daśaratha seeks progeny through a sanctioned Vedic rite and proper counsel, not by impulsive or unethical means.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha confides to Romapāda that he is childless and requests that Ṛśyaśṛṅga be deputed to officiate a sacrifice aimed at obtaining sons.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Daśaratha’s humility and dharma-minded restraint—he petitions respectfully and relies on religiously legitimate action.