Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 20, Shloka 14

राज्ञः शङ्का

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

Devanagari script

सर्वं मे शंस भगवन्कथं तेषां मया रणे।।।।स्थातव्यं दुष्टभावानां वीर्योत्सिक्ता हि राक्षसा:।4तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा विश्वामित्रोऽभ्यभाषत।।।।

Transliteration

sarvaṃ me śaṃsa bhagavan kathaṃ teṣāṃ mayā raṇe |

sthātavyaṃ duṣṭa-bhāvānāṃ vīryotsiktā hi rākṣasāḥ |

tasya tad-vacanaṃ śrutvā viśvāmitro 'bhyabhāṣata ||1.20.14||

Translation

尊き御方よ、すべてを語ってください。戦場において、わたしはいかにして彼らに立ち向かうべきでしょうか。あのラクシャサたちは本性が邪悪で、武勇に驕り高ぶっているのです。これを聞いて、ヴィシュヴァーミトラは答えた。

Word by Word

• सर्वम्: all (this)
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘शंस’ इति क्रियायाः कर्म

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अस्मद्-सर्वनाम; चतुर्थी/षष्ठी एकवचन-रूप (Dat/Gen sg); अत्र चतुर्थी (to me)

• शंस: tell / explain
• शंस: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śaṃs (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/लोट्), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भगवन्: O venerable one
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अस्मद्-सर्वनाम; तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/तृतीया), एकवचन

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• स्थातव्यम्: must stand / must hold (my ground)
• स्थातव्यम्: Vidheyabhāva (विधेय/Obligation predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (धातु) + tavya (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; कर्तरि-प्रयोगे ‘मया ... स्थातव्यम्’ = “I must stand/hold my ground”

• दुष्टभावानाम्: of the wicked-natured
• दुष्टभावानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: दुष्टः भावः येषाम् (wicked-natured)

• वीर्योत्सिक्ताः: proud of their prowess
• वीर्योत्सिक्ताः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vīrya (प्रातिपदिक) + utsikta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: वीर्येण उत्सिक्ताः = ‘puffed up by prowess’

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipāta (निपात/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• राक्षसाः: the rākṣasas
• राक्षसाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

Context

O venerable one, how to fight those wicked-natured ones in the battle and stay aginst them? For rakshasas are proud of their prowess". Having heard the words of Dasaratha, Viswamitra said:

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Viśvāmitra
• rākṣasas

FAQs

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

Dharma includes seeking right counsel: Daśaratha turns to a venerable sage for truthful guidance on confronting evil, rather than relying only on pride or impulse.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha asks Viśvāmitra for a complete assessment and strategy; the narration then pivots to Viśvāmitra’s response.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Teachability and deference to spiritual authority—Daśaratha requests instruction from the sage.