Valmiki Ramayana 1.21.12: Bala Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 12

बालकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः · Daśaratha’s Promise, Vasiṣṭha’s Counsel, and Viśvāmitra’s Weapon

Lore

Spoken by Vasistha to King DaśarathaSetting: Ayodhyā (contextual)

Devanagari script

न देवा नर्षयः केचिन्नासुरा न च राक्षसाः ।

गन्धर्वयक्षप्रवरास्सकिन्नरमहोरगाः ॥१२॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 1.21.12

Transliteration

na devā na ṛṣayaḥ kecin nāsurā na ca rākṣasāḥ |

gandharva-yakṣa-pravarāḥ sa-kinnara-mahāragāḥ ||12||

Translation

Weder Devas noch irgendwelche Rishis, weder Asuras noch Rākṣasas—weder Gandharvas noch die erhabensten Yakṣas, weder Kinnaras noch die großen Schlangen—vermögen jenes Wissen zu erreichen.

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Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध
• Role: Sambandha (निषेध)

• देवाः: gods
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• न: nor
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध
• Role: Sambandha (निषेध)

• ऋषयः: sages
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• केचित्: any (at all)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क-चित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक (any)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• न: nor
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध
• Role: Sambandha (निषेध)

• असुराः: asuras
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• न: nor
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध
• Role: Sambandha (निषेध)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय
• Role: Sambandha (समुच्चय)

• राक्षसाः: rākṣasas
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• गन्धर्वयक्षप्रवराः: the best of gandharvas and yakṣas
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व-यक्ष-प्रवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समाहार/समुच्चयार्थे (best among gandharvas and yakṣas)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• स: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (along with)
• Role: Sambandha (सह)

• किन्नरमहोरगाः: kinnaras and great serpents
• Type: Noun
• Root: किन्नर-महोरग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व (किन्नर + महोरग)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Dvandva

Sandhi Notes

• नर्षयः = न + ऋषयः
• केचिन्नासुराः = केचित् + न + असुराः
• गन्धर्वयक्षप्रवराः = गन्धर्व + यक्ष + प्रवराः
• सकिन्नरमहोरगाः = स + किन्नरमहोरगाः

Context

No gods nor sages nor asuras in rakshasas nor kinnaras nor mighty serpents norgandharvas nor the best of yakshas (will be able to know);

The teaching

Spiritual discipline can establish an authority that transcends birth and species; true power is not confined to celestial rank.

Ethical theme

Tapas / tejas

Devotion and practice

Strengthens śraddhā in tapas and disciplined learning; encourages reverence for realized sages beyond worldly hierarchies.

Form of praise

Stuti (a hymn of praise)

Mood and themes

Rasa

Adbhuta (wonder), with Vira (heroism)

Mood

Vast, mythic, overawing

Themes

• Dharma
• Cosmology
• Rishi-tejas
• Itihasa
• Ethics

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Rishis
• Asuras
• Rakshasas
• Gandharvas
• Yakshas
• Kinnaras
• Mahoragas (great serpents)

FAQs

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

Dharma recognizes true excellence regardless of rank: even celestial beings are not automatically superior to a sage perfected by tapas and truth.

What is the narrative situation?

A sweeping list of cosmic beings is invoked to stress that Viśvāmitra’s expertise is unrivaled.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Spiritual attainment—steadfast austerity and truth that elevate a human sage beyond ordinary hierarchies.