Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 20, Shloka 5

राज्ञः शङ्का

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

Devanagari script

अहमेव धनुष्पाणिर्गोप्ता समरमूर्धनि।यावत्प्राणान्धरिष्यामि तावद्योत्स्ये निशाचरै:।।।।

Transliteration

aham eva dhanuṣpāṇir goptā samaramūrdhani | yāvat prāṇān dhariṣyāmi tāvad yotsye niśācaraiḥ ||

Translation

この私が弓を手に、戦場のただ中で守護となろう。命の息ある限り、夜にさまよう者どもと戦い続ける。

Word by Word

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• eva: indeed, alone
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avadhāraṇa-nipāta (emphatic particle/अवधारण)

• dhanuṣpāṇiḥ: one with a bow in hand
• dhanuṣpāṇiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanuṣ (प्रातिपदिक) + pāṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; bahuvrīhi (‘one whose hand has a bow’), epithet of aham

• goptā: protector
• goptā: Pradhāna-vidheya (विधेय/predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √gup (धातु) + tṛc (तृच्)
• Form: Agent noun, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; predicate to aham

• samaramūrdhani: on the battlefield
• samaramūrdhani: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samara (प्रातिपदिक) + mūrdhan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa (‘battle-head’=battlefield); adhikaraṇa

• yāvat: as long as
• yāvat: Kāla-sambandha (कालसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya used as yāvat-tāvat correlative (time/extent)

• prāṇān: life-breaths, life
• prāṇān: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Bahuvacana

• dhariṣyāmi: I will sustain/hold
• dhariṣyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ (लुट्/Periphrastic future; here simple future sense), Uttama-puruṣa (1st person), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• tāvat: so long, till then
• tāvat: Kāla-sambandha (कालसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: Correlative avyaya with yāvat (extent/time)

• yotsye: I will fight
• yotsye: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yudh (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ (लुट्; future sense), Uttama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; ātmanepada form

• niśācaraiḥ: with the night-rangers (rākṣasas)
• niśācaraiḥ: Sahakāraka (सहकारक/with; opponent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niśācara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd), Bahuvacana

Context

These servants of mine are warriors, valiant, powerful and courageous, skilled in theuse of weapons and fit to engage multitude of rakshasas in battle. It is not proper to take Rama with you.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Viśvāmitra
• dhanuṣ (bow)
• niśācara (rākṣasas)

FAQs

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

The dharma of duty before self: the king frames protection of sacred activity as a matter worth risking his own life, aligning kingship with sacrificial guardianship.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha intensifies his offer—he will personally guard and fight, instead of sending Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Courage and willingness for self-sacrifice in service of protection.