Shloka 16

दशमः सर्गः — Rama’s Vow to Protect the Sages of Daṇḍaka

Dharma of Refuge

Devanagari script

तदर्ध्यमानान्रक्षोभिर्दण्डकारण्यवासिभिः।रक्ष नस्त्वं सह भ्रात्रा त्वन्नाथा हि वयं वने।।।।

Transliteration

tad ardhyamānān rakṣobhir daṇḍakāraṇyavāsibhiḥ | rakṣa nas tvaṃ saha bhrātrā tvannāthā hi vayaṃ vane ||

Translation

Por ello, protégenos, atormentados por los rākṣasas que habitan en el bosque de Daṇḍaka. En esta soledad tú eres en verdad nuestro señor; guárdanos junto con tu hermano.

Word by Word

• tat: then/therefore
• tat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connecting particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya); here used adverbially = 'then/therefore' (ततः/तस्मात्-अर्थे)

• ardhyamānān: (us) being tormented
• ardhyamānān: Karma (कर्म; object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ardh (अर्ध्/अर्द् धातु) + śānac (शानच्)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि/भावे शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; 'being tormented' qualifying 'nas' (implicit)

• rakṣobhiḥ: by demons
• rakṣobhiḥ: Karana (करण; instrument/agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुल्लिङ्ग (usage varies; here plural demons), तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; करण/हेतु-भावे

• daṇḍakāraṇyavāsibhiḥ: by the Dandaka-forest dwellers
• daṇḍakāraṇyavāsibhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṇḍaka-araṇya-vāsin (प्रातिपदिक; components: दण्डक + अरण्य + वासिन्)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; 'by the dwellers of the Dandaka forest' (agent/instrument sense)

• rakṣa: protect
• rakṣa: Kriya (क्रिया; main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rakṣ (रक्ष् धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• naḥ: us
• naḥ: Karma (कर्म; object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/द्वितीया-रूप (enclitic); here द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन = 'us'

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (युष्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/सामान्य, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; संबोधनार्थे कर्तृ-रूप

• saha: together with
• saha: Sahartha (सहार्थ; accompaniment marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सह-योगे तृतीया अपेक्षा (with + Instr.)

• bhrātrā: with (your) brother
• bhrātrā: Sahartha (सहार्थ; companion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• tvannāthāḥ: having you as our protector
• tvannāthāḥ: Karta (कर्ता; predicate nominative with subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tvat-nātha (प्रातिपदिक; components: त्वत् + नाथ)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; बहिर्वृत्ति-विशेषण of 'vayam' = 'having you as lord/protector'

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) emphasizing/justifying

• vayam: we
• vayam: Karta (कर्ता; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• vane: in the forest
• vane: Adhikarana (अधिकरण; location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (location)

Context

'The demons, dwelling in the Dandaka forest are tormenting us. You alone are our lord in the forest. Do protect us with your brother.'

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa (implied by “brother”)
• Daṇḍakāraṇya (Dandaka forest)
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

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

Dharma as protective responsibility: those who seek refuge from adharma appeal to righteous power; the verse foregrounds the obligation of Rāma (and Lakṣmaṇa) to defend the vulnerable.

What is the narrative situation?

The sages conclude their plea, explicitly asking Rāma to guard them—together with his brother—against the forest-dwelling rākṣasas.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s (and Lakṣmaṇa’s) guardianship and readiness to uphold dharma through protection, answering the trust placed in them by the ascetics.