Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 75, Shloka 27

जामदग्न्य

रामसंवादः — Parashurama Confronts Rama with the Vaishnava Bow

Devanagari script

तदिदं वैष्णवं राम पितृपैतामहं महत्।क्षत्रधर्मं पुरस्कृत्य गृह्णीष्व धनुरुत्तमम्।।।।

Transliteration

tad idaṃ vaiṣṇavaṃ rāma pitṛpaitāmahaṃ mahat | kṣatradharmaṃ puraskṛtya gṛhṇīṣva dhanur uttamam ||

Translation

Maka, wahai Rāma, inilah busur Vaiṣṇava yang agung, warisan dari ayah dan leluhurku; junjunglah dharma kṣatriya dan terimalah busur utama ini.

Word by Word

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Nominative/Accusative (1/2), Singular; demonstrative

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Nominative/Accusative (1/2), Singular; appositional with tat

• vaiṣṇavam: Vaiṣṇava
• vaiṣṇavam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaiṣṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Accusative (2), Singular; qualifying dhanuḥ (understood)

• rāma: O Rāma
• rāma: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8), Singular

• pitṛpaitāmaham: ancestral (from father and forefathers)
• pitṛpaitāmaham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pitṛ + paitāmaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvandva (द्वन्द्व) compound 'of father and grandfather/forefathers'; Napumsaka, Accusative (2), Singular; qualifying (dhanus)

• mahat: great
• mahat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Accusative (2), Singular; qualifying (dhanus)

• kṣatradharmam: kṣatriya-duty
• kṣatradharmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣatra + dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa; Masculine, Accusative (2), Singular

• puraskṛtya: keeping foremost
• puraskṛtya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: puras-√kṛ (कृ धातु) + ktvā/lyap
• Form: Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्-कृदन्त), indeclinable; 'having placed in front/keeping foremost'

• gṛhṇīṣva: take (hold)
• gṛhṇīṣva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √grah (ग्रह् धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (लोट्, imperative), Ātmanepada, 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular

• dhanuḥ: bow
• dhanuḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Accusative (2), Singular

• uttamam: excellent
• uttamam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Accusative (2), Singular; qualifying dhanuḥ

Context

Respect the duties of a kshatriya, O Rama! Take hold of this great, uncommon bow of Visnu inherited by me from my father and forefathers.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Viṣṇu
• Vaiṣṇava bow (Viṣṇu-dhanuḥ)
• Paraśurāma

FAQs

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

Kṣatriya-dharma: a warrior is expected to accept a lawful challenge and handle sacred weapons with responsibility and honor.

What is the narrative situation?

Paraśurāma presents (or calls Rāma to take) the Vaiṣṇava bow and frames the confrontation as a test aligned with warrior duty.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s readiness to uphold maryādā (propriety) and dharma even under provocation.