Shloka 15

षष्ठस्सर्गः — तपस्विरक्षणे राजधर्मोपदेशः

Sarga 6: The Sages’ Appeal and Instruction on Royal Duty

Devanagari script

सोऽयं ब्राह्मणभूयिष्ठो वानप्रस्थगणो महान्।त्वन्नाथोऽनाथवद्राम राक्षसैर्वध्यते भृशम्।।।।

Transliteration

so 'yaṃ brāhmaṇabhūyiṣṭho vānaprasthagaṇo mahān |

tvannātho 'nāthavad rāma rākṣasair vadhyate bhṛśam ||

Translation

Oh Rāma, esta gran comunidad de ascetas del bosque—en su mayoría brahmanes—aunque te tiene por señor, está siendo cruelmente asesinada por los rākṣasas, como si no tuviera protector.

Word by Word

• एहि: come
• एहि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √इ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; ‘come!’

• पश्य: see
• पश्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; ‘see!’

• शरीराणि: bodies
• शरीराणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• मुनीनाम्: of sages
• मुनीनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• भावितात्मनाम्: of self-disciplined (sages)
• भावितात्मनाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भावित-आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास: भावित (ppp of √भू/√भावय् ‘cultivated’) + आत्मन्, पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; विशेषण (मुनीनाम् इति)

• हतानाम्: of the slain
• हतानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; ‘of the slain’

• राक्षसैः: by demons
• राक्षसैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• घोरैः: terrible
• घोरैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (राक्षसैः इति)

• बहूनाम्: of many
• बहूनाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; विशेषण (हतानाम्/मुनीनाम् इति)

• बहुधा: in many places/ways
• बहुधा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार-अव्यय (adverb of manner: in many ways/places)

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

Context

One fourth of the supreme merit a sage earns by living on fruits and roots, accrues to the king through which the people are protected righteously.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sages (vānaprasthas)
• Brahmins
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

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

Dharma demands protection of the vulnerable; the verse frames unchecked violence against ascetics as a failure of the protective order that righteous power is meant to uphold.

What is the narrative situation?

Sages report ongoing attacks by rākṣasas and stress the urgency: despite Rāma’s presence as a rightful protector, they are being killed.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The sages’ truthfulness and moral urgency in petitioning; and by implication, Rāma’s expected virtue of protective justice.