Shloka 31

अम्बा–राम–भीष्म संवादः

Amba–Rama–Bhishma Dialogue on Vow and Refuge

Devanagari script

स्वथधर्म पुरुषव्याप्र राजपुत्री लभत्वियम्‌ | न युक्तस्त्ववमानो<यं राज्ञां कर्तु त्वयानघ

Transliteration

svadharmo puruṣavyāghra rājaputrī labhatv iyam | na yuktas tv avamāno ’yaṃ rājñāṃ kartuṃ tvayānagha ||

Translation

Rāma said: “O tiger among men, act in such a way that this princess may obtain the opportunity to follow her own svadharma. O blameless one, it is not proper for you to inflict this kind of humiliation upon kings.”

Word by Word

• स्वधर्मम्: one's own duty
• स्वधर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वधर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पुरुषव्याप्र: O tiger among men
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष-व्याघ्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• राजपुत्री: the princess
• राजपुत्री: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजपुत्री
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• लभतु: let (her) obtain
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ्
• Form: Imperative, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

• इयम्: this (woman)
• इयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• युक्तः: proper / fitting
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• अवमानः: insult / disrespect
• अवमानः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवमान
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अयम्: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राज्ञाम्: of kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• कर्तुम्: to do
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Infinitive (Tumun)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: Instrumental, Singular

• अनघ: O blameless one
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनघ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पुरुषसिंह: O lion among men
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष-सिंह
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

राम उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• princess (rājaputrī)
• kings (rājñām)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes dharma as context-sensitive duty: a noble person should enable others—here, a princess—to act according to their rightful obligations, and should avoid actions that dishonour kings, since public humiliation violates ethical and royal norms.

What is happening in the narrative?

Rāma addresses a heroic man, urging him to behave in a way that preserves the princess’s ability to follow her proper course of duty, while also warning that the current conduct amounts to an improper insult to kings.