Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 53, Shloka 25

शबलाप्रार्थना–वसिष्ठप्रतिज्ञा

The Request for Śabalā and Vasiṣṭha’s Refusal

Devanagari script

अदोमूला: क्रियास्सर्वा मम राजन्न संशय:।बहुना किं प्रलापेन न दास्ये कामदोहिनीम्।।1.53.25।।

Transliteration

adomūlāḥ kriyāḥ sarvā mama rājann asaṁśayaḥ | bahunā kiṁ pralāpena na dāsye kāmadohinīm || 1.53.25 ||

Translation

Ô Roi, toutes mes œuvres rituelles ont en elle leur racine—sans aucun doute. À quoi bon tant de paroles ? Je ne donnerai pas la vache qui exauce les désirs.

Word by Word

• अदोमूलाः: rooted in this (cow)
• अदोमूलाः: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अदस् + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अस्मिन् मूलम् = rooted in this; i.e., in her/this cow); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् क्रियाः

• क्रियाः: rites
• क्रियाः: कर्ता/विषय
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् क्रियाः

• मम: my
• मम: सम्बन्ध (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: सम्बोधन
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• न: no / not
• न: निषेध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्ययम्

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: विधेय (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• बहुना: with much
• बहुना: करण (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter) (बहु used substantively), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; 'with much (talk)'

• किम्: what (use)?
• किम्: प्रश्न/प्रयोजन (Interrogative: what use?)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक (interrogative) used idiomatically

• प्रलापेन: by talk / prattle
• प्रलापेन: करण (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रलाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: निषेध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्ययम्

• दास्ये: I will give
• दास्ये: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular)

• कामदोहिनीम्: the wish-fulfilling cow
• कामदोहिनीम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम + दोहिनी (प्रातिपदिक; दोहिनी from √दुह् (धातु) णिनि)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कामान् दोग्धि = yields desires); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Context

O King! this (cow) is undoubtedly the source of all my actions. Why these uselesswords? I will never give this wish-fulfilling cow".ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē bālakāṇḍē tripañcāśassarga:৷৷Thus ends the fiftythird sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Śabalā

FAQs

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

Integrity in dharma: when a possession is essential for one’s righteous duties and truthfully acknowledged as such, it must not be surrendered to pressure, persuasion, or wealth.

What is the narrative situation?

Vasiṣṭha ends the negotiation decisively, stating that Śabalā is foundational to all his sacred activities and is therefore non-transferable.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfastness (dhṛti) and satya: firm refusal grounded in duty rather than fear or greed.