Shloka 21

शरणागति

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

Devanagari script

सुदुष्टोवाप्यदुष्टोवाकिमेषरजनीचरः ।सूक्ष्ममप्यहितंकर्तुंममाशक्तःकथञ्चन ।।।।

Transliteration

suduṣṭo vāpy aduṣṭo vā kim eṣa rajanīcaraḥ | sūkṣmam apy ahitaṃ kartuṃ mamāśaktaḥ kathañcana || 6.18.21 ||

Translation

Ob er nun höchst böse ist oder nicht—was bedeutet mir dieser Nachtwandler? Wie könnte er jemals, auf irgendeine Weise, auch nur den geringsten Schaden an mir tun?

Word by Word

• सुदुष्टः: very wicked
• सुदुष्टः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: सु + दुष्टः (very wicked)

• वा: or
• वा: Samuccaya/Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पार्थक निपात (disjunctive particle: or)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha-bodhaka (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक (particle: even/also)

• अदुष्टः: not wicked
• अदुष्टः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-समास/नकार-प्रत्ययार्थ (not wicked)

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पार्थक (or)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक अव्यय (interrogative particle)

• एषः: this (one)
• एषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (this)

• रजनीचरः: night-ranger (Rakshasa)
• रजनीचरः: Apposition/Viśeṣya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजनी-चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः: रजन्यां चरति (one who moves at night)

• सूक्ष्मम्: subtle, slightest
• सूक्ष्मम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; अहितम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha-bodhaka (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक (even)

• अहितम्: harm
• अहितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कर्तुम्: to do
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/तुमर्थ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (infinitive), प्रयोजनार्थ (purpose): "to do"

• मम: to me / of me
• मम: Sampradana/Adhikarana (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अशक्तः: incapable
• अशक्तः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-शक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-प्रत्ययार्थ (incapable)

• कथञ्चन: in any way at all
• कथञ्चन: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथञ्चन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, नकारार्थे/कदाचित्-निषेधार्थे (in any way/at all; with negation implied by context)

Context

"Whether this night ranger is wicked or not wicked, is he capable of doing even subtlest harm to me?"

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sugrīva
• rajanīcara (rākṣasa/night-roamer)

FAQs

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

Dharma is not driven by fear: Rāma frames the issue beyond personal threat, preparing the ground for a principled stance rather than a fearful reaction.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma responds to concerns about a rākṣasa, asserting that the figure is no real danger to him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Courage and inner steadiness—Rāma shows that his decisions are not dictated by personal insecurity.