Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 62, Shloka 5

शुनश्शेफरक्षा–विश्वामित्रशापः

Sunassepha’s Rescue and Visvamitra’s Curse

Devanagari script

त्राता त्वं हि मुनिश्रेष्ठ सर्वेषां त्वं हि भावन:।।।।राजा च कृतकार्यस्स्यादहं दीर्घायुरव्यय:।स्वर्गलोकमुपाश्नीयां तपस्तप्त्वाह्यनुत्तमम्।।।।

Transliteration

trātā tvaṃ hi muniśreṣṭha sarveṣāṃ tvaṃ hi bhāvanaḥ | rājā ca kṛtakāryaḥ syād ahaṃ dīrghāyur avyayaḥ | svargalokam upāśnīyāṃ tapas taptvā hy anuttamam ||

Translation

Du bist wahrlich der Beschützer, o bester der Weisen; du mehrst das Wohl aller. Möge das Vorhaben des Königs erfüllt werden; möge ich langes, unvergängliches Leben erlangen und, nachdem ich unvergleichliche Askese (tapas) geübt habe, der Himmelswelt teilhaftig werden.

Word by Word

• trātā: protector
• trātā: Karta/Pradhāna-predicative (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: trātṛ (प्रातिपदिक; √trā (धातु) से)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम (2nd person pronoun), प्रथमा (Nominative 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/बलार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय

• muniśreṣṭha: O best of sages
• muniśreṣṭha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni + śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative): ‘munīnām śreṣṭhaḥ’

• sarveṣām: of all
• sarveṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine) / नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter) (contextual), षष्ठी (Genitive 6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (Nominative 1st), एकवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Emphasis (बलार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय

• bhāvanaḥ: benefactor/promoter (of welfare)
• bhāvanaḥ: Pradhāna-predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāvana (प्रातिपदिक; √bhū/√bhāv (धातु) से)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative 1st), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• kṛtakāryaḥ: having fulfilled the purpose
• kṛtakāryaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa of rājā (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta + kārya (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: ‘kṛtaṃ kāryaṃ yena/yaḥ’ = accomplished-purpose

• syāt: may become / would be
• syāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम (1st person pronoun), प्रथमा (Nominative 1st), एकवचन

• dīrghāyuḥ: long-lived
• dīrghāyuḥ: Viśeṣaṇa of aham (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīrgha + āyus (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: ‘dīrgham āyuḥ yasya’ (long-lived)

• avyayaḥ: imperishable
• avyayaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa of aham (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• svargalokam: the world of heaven
• svargalokam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga + loka (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative 2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘svargasya lokaḥ’

• upāśnīyām: may I enjoy/partake
• upāśnīyām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-√aś (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद; desiderative sense: ‘may enjoy/partake’

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative 2nd), एकवचन

• taptvā: having performed (having practised)
• taptvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tap (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal), ‘having performed (austerity)’

• hi: indeed
• hi: Emphasis (बलार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• anuttamam: unsurpassed, excellent
• anuttamam: Viśeṣaṇa of tapaḥ (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anuttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘unsurpassed’ (superlative sense)

Context

O Best among ascetics! you are the protecor of everybody. You are promoter of others' welfare. May the king fulfil his purpose. May I live long and become immortal and attain heaven after performing great penance. May I enjoy heaven.

Characters & Entities

• Śunaḥśepha
• Viśvāmitra
• rājā (Ambarīṣa, implied by episode)
• svargaloka
• tapas

FAQs

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

Dharma balances welfare of all: the plea seeks a solution that saves the victim while allowing the king’s vow/rite to be fulfilled without unrighteous harm.

What is the narrative situation?

Śunaḥśepha praises the sage as universal protector and asks for rescue, expressing hopes for long life and spiritual attainment.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Trust in righteous authority and aspiration toward higher life through tapas rather than mere survival.