Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 75, Shloka 19

जामदग्न्य

रामसंवादः — Parashurama Confronts Rama with the Vaishnava Bow

Devanagari script

जृम्भितं तद्धनुर्द्रृष्ट्वा शैवं विष्णुपराक्रमै:।अधिकं मेनिरे विष्णुं देवा स्सर्षिगणास्तदा ।।।।

Transliteration

jṛmbhitaṃ tad dhanur dṛṣṭvā śaivaṃ viṣṇu-parākramaiḥ |

adhikaṃ menire viṣṇuṃ devāḥ sarṣigaṇās tadā ||

Translation

Voyant que l’arc de Śiva avait été contraint de se tendre sous la prouesse de Viṣṇu, les dieux et les assemblées de ṛṣi tinrent alors Viṣṇu pour le plus grand.

Word by Word

• jṛmbhitam: stretched/checked (made inert)
• jṛmbhitam: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jṛmbh (धातु)
• Form: Kta-participle (क्त/भूतकर्मणि), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• tat: that
• tat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Demonstrative pronoun, Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• dhanuḥ: bow
• dhanuḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), having seen

• śaivam: Śiva’s
• śaivam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adjective (विशेषण), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• viṣṇu-parākramaiḥ: by Viṣṇu’s prowess
• viṣṇu-parākramaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + parākrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन)

• adhikam: superior
• adhikam: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adhika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adjective used predicatively; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन) (agreeing with viṣṇum)

• menire: considered, thought
• menire: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: man (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (लिट्/Perfect), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• viṣṇum: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• devāḥ: the gods
• devāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• sarṣi-gaṇāḥ: the groups of sages (with them)
• sarṣi-gaṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (in apposition to devāḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sa-ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक)

Context

Now that the bow of Siva was made inert by Visnu's prowess, hosts of sages and gods acknowlged Visnu as superior.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Śiva
• Śiva’s bow (Śaiva-dhanuḥ)
• Devas
• Ṛṣis

FAQs

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

Dharma acknowledges rightful excellence when demonstrated through controlled power; recognition follows evidence, not mere claim.

What is the narrative situation?

The assembly witnesses the outcome of the divine contest involving the bow and concludes that Viṣṇu’s might prevailed in that moment.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discernment (viveka): gods and sages assess events and form a judgment based on what is seen.