Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 20, Shloka 28

राज्ञः शङ्का

प्रत्याख्यानम् (Daśaratha’s Objections to Sending Rāma) — Bala Kanda, Sarga 20

Devanagari script

इयमक्षौहिणी पूर्णा यस्याहं पतिरीश्वरः।

अनया संवृतो गत्वा योद्धाऽहं तैर्निशाचरैः॥

Transliteration

iyam akṣauhiṇī pūrṇā yasyāhaṁ patir īśvaraḥ | anayā saṁvṛto gatvā yoddhā 'haṁ tair niśācaraiḥ ||

Translation

Voici l’armée entière, une akṣauhiṇī, dont je suis le maître et le souverain ; entouré d’elle, j’irai moi-même combattre ces rôdeurs de la nuit.

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-प्रयोगः), indeclinable

• nara-patiḥ: the king
• nara-patiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नराणां पतिः)

• jalpanāt: from (his) speech / because of speaking
• jalpanāt: Apadana (अपादान/from)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jalpana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; cause/source (हेतु/अपादान)

• dvi-ja-indram: the best of Brahmins
• dvi-ja-indram: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvi-ja (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (द्विजानाम् इन्द्रः)

• kuśika-sutam: the son of Kuśika (Viśvāmitra)
• kuśika-sutam: Karma (कर्म/object; apposition to dvijendram)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuśika (प्रातिपदिक) + suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कुशिकस्य सुतः)

• su-mahān: very great
• su-mahān: Karta (कर्ता; as qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + mahant (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; adjective to manyuḥ

• manyuḥ: anger
• manyuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• viveśa: entered / pervaded
• viveśa: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-viś (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada

• su-hutaḥ: well-offered (in sacrifice)
• su-hutaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; as qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय) + huta (कृदन्त; √hu धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; adjective to agniḥ

• iva: like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Simile particle (उपमा-अव्यय)

• makhe: in a sacrifice
• makhe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/in)
• Type: Noun
• Root: makha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; location/context

• agniḥ: fire
• agniḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ājya-siktaḥ: sprinkled with ghee
• ājya-siktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; as qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ājya (प्रातिपदिक) + sikta (कृदन्त; √sic धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (आज्येन सिक्तः)

• samabhavat: became / came to be
• samabhavat: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-bhū (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; parasmaipada

• ujjvalitaḥ: blazing
• ujjvalitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; as qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ud-√jval (धातु) + ita (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; adjective to vahniḥ

• maharṣi-vahniḥ: the sage's fire (i.e., his wrath)
• maharṣi-vahniḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maharṣi (प्रातिपदिक) + vahni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (महर्षेः वह्निः)

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Viśvāmitra
• akṣauhiṇī (army)
• niśācara (rākṣasas)

FAQs

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

Rajadharma: the king presents himself and his forces as instruments to defend righteousness and public sacred acts, offering state power in service of dharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha tries to persuade Viśvāmitra that royal military support is sufficient and that Rāma need not be taken.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Protective leadership and readiness to act—Daśaratha asserts personal responsibility rather than delegating danger to his son.