Shloka 1

शरणागति

धर्मनिर्णयः (Decision on Refuge and Dharma) / Rama’s Vow of Protection and the Acceptance of Vibhishana

Devanagari script

अथरामःप्रसन्नात्माशृत्वावायुसुतस्यह ।प्रत्यभाषतदुर्धषश्रुतवानात्मनिस्थितम् ।।।।

Transliteration

atha rāmaḥ prasannātmā śrutvā vāyusutasyaha | pratyabhāṣata durdharṣaḥ śrutavān ātmani sthitam ||

Translation

Da antwortete Rāma, im Herzen erfreut, nachdem er die Worte Hanumans, des Sohnes des Windes, vernommen hatte; der Unbezwingliche sprach aus, was in seinem Innern bereits feststand.

Word by Word

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), discourse connector (अनन्तरार्थक)

• rāmaḥ: Rama
• rāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• prasanna-ātmā: one whose heart was pleased
• prasanna-ātmā: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prasanna (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi: ‘prasanna ātmā yasya saḥ’; Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; adjective of ‘rāmaḥ’

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (श्रु धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), ‘having heard’

• vāyu-sutasya: of the son of the Wind-god (Hanuman)
• vāyu-sutasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāyu (प्रातिपदिक) + suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘vāyoḥ sutaḥ’); Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• ha: indeed
• ha: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), emphatic particle (निपात)

• pratyabhāṣata: replied/spoke in return
• pratyabhāṣata: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhāṣ (भाष् धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person, Singular; with preverb prati- (प्रति-)

• durdharṣaḥ: formidable
• durdharṣaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durdharṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; adjective of ‘rāmaḥ’

• śrutavān: having heard
• śrutavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (श्रु धातु)
• Form: Past active participle (क्तवतु/क्तवन्), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘having heard’ (as qualifier of subject)

• ātmani: in (his) mind/self
• ātmani: Adhikarana (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• sthitam: that which was fixed/settled
• sthitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (स्था धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Accusative, Singular; object of ‘pratyabhāṣata’ understood as ‘that which was settled’

Context

Having heard Hanuman (son of wind god) formidable Rama was highly pleased at heart and started to tell his opinion.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Hanumān
• Vāyu
• Lakṣmaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma in leadership includes attentive listening to worthy counsel and responding from a composed, principled mind rather than impulse.

What is the narrative situation?

After hearing Hanumān’s report/advice, Rāma becomes inwardly pleased and begins to state his considered response.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s steadiness and discernment: calm receptivity to counsel and measured speech.