Valmiki Ramayana 1.66.24: Bala Kanda, Sarga 66, Shloka 24

शिवधनुर्न्यासकथा तथा सीतोत्पत्तिविवाहशुल्क-निश्चयः

The Bow of Śiva: Its Deposit, Sītā’s Origin, and the Prowess-Brideprice Vow

Spoken by Janaka to ViśvāmitraSetting: मिथिला-परिसर (युद्धोत्तर)Retreat/flight in all directions

Devanagari script

ततो भग्ना नृपतयो हन्यमाना दिशो ययुः ।

अवीर्या वीर्यसन्दिग्धा स्सामात्याः पापकर्मणः ॥२४॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 1.66.24

Transliteration

tato bhagnā nṛpatayo hanyamānā diśo yayuḥ |

avīryā vīryasandigdhāḥ sāmātyāḥ pāpakarmaṇaḥ ||24||

Translation

फिर वो राजा टूट गए, मैंने उन्हें मारा। वो भाग गए चारों तरफ। उनके मन में हिम्मत नहीं थी, उनका दम निकल गया। वो और उनके मंत्री भी, दोनों बड़े पापी थे।

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Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb
• Role: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)

• bhagnāḥ: broken/defeated
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhañj (भञ्ज् धातु) + ta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Plural; agrees with nṛpatayaḥ
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• nṛpatayaḥ: kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• hanyamānāḥ: being struck down
• Type: Adjective
• Root: han (हन् धातु) + śānac (शानच्)
• Form: Present passive participle (कर्मणि शानच्), Masculine, Nominative, Plural; agrees with nṛpatayaḥ
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• diśaḥ: to the directions
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd), Plural (बहुवचन)
• Role: Karma (कर्म) / Gati (गति) with yā-

• yayuḥ: went/fled
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (या धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Plural, Parasmaipada
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• avīryāḥ: without valor
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (नञ्) + vīrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; agrees with nṛpatayaḥ
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• vīrya-sandigdhāḥ: doubting their strength
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vīrya (प्रातिपदिक) + sandigdha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; agrees with nṛpatayaḥ
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• sa-amātyāḥ: with their ministers
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (सह/स) + amātya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; "with ministers"; agrees with nṛpatayaḥ
• Role: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)

• pāpa-karmaṇaḥ: evil-doing
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; bahuvrīhi: "whose deeds are evil"; agrees with nṛpatayaḥ
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Compound: Bahuvrihi

Sandhi Notes

• vīryasandigdhāḥ → vīrya-sandigdhāḥ
• sāmātyāḥ → sa-amātyāḥ (with ministers)

Context

Then those wicked kings who were exhausted were doubtful about their energy. They were beaten and defeated. They fled away along with their ministers in different directions.

The teaching

पापकर्मणां बलं चिरं न तिष्ठति; अधर्मः अन्ते पराजयं जनयति।

Ethical theme

कर्मफल/नीति

How it resolves

Karmic consequence—adharmic aggressors routed

For your practice

अधर्मत्याग, आत्मपरीक्षण—कर्मफल-स्मरणेन संयमः।

Mood and themes

Rasa

Vira (heroism), with Raudra (fury)

Mood

पराजय, विक्षिप्त, रणोत्तर

Themes

• Dharma
• Ethics
• Consequences of adharma
• Justice
• Kingship

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Janaka
• Viśvāmitra
• Kings (unnamed)
• Ministers

FAQs

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

Adharma collapses under its own weight: aggression rooted in pride leads to defeat and disgrace, reinforcing that power without righteousness is unstable.

What is the narrative situation?

With divine-backed strength, Janaka’s side routs the besieging kings; they flee with their ministers.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Protective firmness—defense of the realm is portrayed as legitimate when resisting unjust oppression.