Valmiki Ramayana 1.76.5 — Bala Kanda, Sarga 76, Shloka 5

बालकाण्डे षट्सप्ततितमः सर्गः

Rāma Subdues Paraśurāma; the Vaiṣṇava Arrow Is Discharged

Devanagari script

आरोप्य स धनू राम श्शरं सज्यं चकार ह।जामदग्न्यं ततो रामं राम: क्रुद्धोऽब्रवीद्वच:।।।।

Transliteration

āropya sa dhanū rāma śaraṁ sajyaṁ cakāra ha | jāmadagnyaṁ tato rāmaṁ rāmaḥ kruddho 'bravīd vacaḥ ||

Translation

Rāma hob den Bogen, legte den Pfeil an und spannte ihn, bereit zum Schuss. Dann sprach Rāma zornig zu Jāmadagnya.

Word by Word

• āropya: having fitted/placed
• āropya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā√ruh (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्), 'having mounted/placed (on the bow)'

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• dhanus: bow
• dhanus: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular (Vedic/epic form; for dhanūḥ/dhanuḥ)

• rāma: O Rāma
• rāma: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th), Singular

• śaram: arrow
• śaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• sajyam: strung
• sajyam: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa-jya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; 'with string (jya)'; agrees with dhanus

• cakāra: made, did
• cakāra: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (लिट्/Perfect), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• ha: indeed
• ha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• jāmadagnyam: Jāmadagnya (Paraśurāma)
• jāmadagnyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jāmadagnya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• tataḥ: then, thereafter
• tataḥ: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Kāla/krama-avyaya (क्रम-अव्यय)

• rāmam: Rāma
• rāmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• rāmaḥ: Rāma
• rāmaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• kruddhaḥ: angry
• kruddhaḥ: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kruddha (प्रातिपदिक; √krudh)
• Form: Past participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with rāmaḥ

• abravīt: said
• abravīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ-lakāra (लुङ्/Aorist), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• vacaḥ: words
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular (collective 'words/speech')

Context

Thus spoke Parasurama, son of Jamadagni to Rama, the valiant son of Dasaratha who (then) discharged the principal arrow.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (Dāśarathi)
• Jāmadagnya (Paraśurāma)
• bow
• arrow

FAQs

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

Preparedness to act in defense of righteousness is dharmic, but the mention of anger also warns that power must be governed by discernment.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma readies the weapon fully and confronts Paraśurāma verbally, marking the turning point of the encounter.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Martial mastery under pressure—complete control over weaponry and readiness to enforce dharma.