Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 20, Shloka 21

राज्ञः शङ्का

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

Devanagari script

स त्वं प्रसादं धर्मज्ञ कुरुष्व मम पुत्रके।मम चैवाल्पभाग्यस्य दैवतं हि भवान्गुरु:।।।।

Transliteration

sa tvaṁ prasādaṁ dharmajña kuruṣva mama putrake | mama caivālpabhāgyasya daivataṁ hi bhavān guruḥ |

Translation

ゆえに、ダルマを知る御方よ、我が幼き子に—そして幸薄きこの私にも—ご慈悲をお垂れください。あなたこそ我がグル（師）にして、まことの神聖なる依り処です。

Word by Word

• देवदानवगन्धर्वाः: gods, dānavas, and gandharvas
• देवदानवगन्धर्वाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + dānava (प्रातिपदिक) + gandharva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (copulative): देवाश्च दानवाश्च गन्धर्वाश्च

• यक्षाः: yakṣas
• यक्षाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• पतगपन्नगाः: birds and serpents
• पतगपन्नगाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pataga (प्रातिपदिक) + pannaga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास: पतगाश्च पन्नगाश्च

• न: not
• न: Niṣedha (निषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• शक्ताः: able
• शक्ताः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √śak)
• Form: विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘(ते) न शक्ताः’ = ‘they are not able’

• रावणम्: Rāvaṇa
• रावणम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सोढुम्: to endure / withstand
• सोढुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sah (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (infinitive); √sah ‘to endure’ (irregular infinitive stem: soḍhum)

• किम्: what (to say)
• किम्: Prashna (प्रश्न/Rhetorical)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय/निपात (idiom with punar: ‘what then?’)

• पुनः: all the more / much less
• पुनः: Upamāna-nyāya (उपमान-न्याय/‘all the more’)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (again/further; in idiom ‘kiṃ punar’ = ‘how much more’)

• मानवाः: men
• मानवाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• युधि: in battle
• युधि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yudh (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (locative adverbial usage)

Context

"You are the knower of righteousness. Extend your favour to my little son and also to me for I am so who is unfortunate. You are verily my spiritual preceptor and god.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Viśvāmitra
• Rāma

FAQs

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

Respect for spiritual authority and seeking righteous guidance are part of dharma; the king submits to the moral insight of the sage rather than mere royal will.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha, anxious about Rāma’s safety, appeals to Viśvāmitra’s compassion and spiritual guardianship.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reverence and surrender to wise counsel—acknowledging the guru as a moral anchor.