Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 20, Shloka 9

राज्ञः शङ्का

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

Devanagari script

यदि वा राघवं ब्रह्मन्नेतुमिच्छसि सुव्रत।।।।चतुरङ्गसमायुक्तं मया च सहितं नय।

Transliteration

yadi vā rāghavaṃ brahmann etum icchasi suvrata | caturaṅga-samāyuktaṃ mayā ca sahitaṃ naya ||

Translation

おお婆羅門よ、善き誓いを具えた聖者よ——もし真にラグハヴァを連れて行こうとするなら、私もまた、四軍を伴って共に連れて行き給え。

Word by Word

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/condition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Śart-avyaya (conditional particle/शर्त)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Vikalpa-nipāta (alternative/or)

• rāghavam: Rāghava (Rama)
• rāghavam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana

• brahman: O Brahman (sage)
• brahman: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (vocative), Ekavacana

• netum: to take
• netum: Kriyā-artha (क्रियार्थ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √nī (धातु) + tumun (तुमुन्)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमन्त)

• icchasi: you wish
• icchasi: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √iṣ (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (present), Madhyama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• suvrata: O one of good vows
• suvrata: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su- (उपसर्ग) + vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (vocative), Ekavacana; epithet

• caturaṅgasamāyuktam: equipped with the fourfold army
• caturaṅgasamāyuktam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + samāyukta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṃsaka, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa (‘equipped with four limbs/arms’ i.e., fourfold army); viśeṣaṇa of (senām understood) or object with naya

• mayā: with me
• mayā: Sahakāraka (सहकारक/with)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tṛtīyā (3rd), Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta

• sahitam: together (accompanied)
• sahitam: Karma (कर्म/object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa- (उपसर्ग) + √dhā/√hā? (lexical: sahita as ‘accompanied’) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṃsaka, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa agreeing with caturaṅgasamāyuktam (or implied army)

• naya: take, lead
• naya: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √nī (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (लोट्, imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada

Context

O sage of great vows, O brahman! if at all you intend to take Rama with you, take me also along with my army.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Rāma (Rāghava)
• Viśvāmitra

FAQs

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

The verse highlights royal responsibility and protective duty: a father-king seeks to safeguard his son by offering to accompany him with full military support, balancing affection with the obligations of kingship (rājadharma).

What is the narrative situation?

Viśvāmitra has asked to take young Rāma for a mission. Daśaratha, anxious and reluctant, proposes that if Rāma must go, the king himself should go too with the fourfold army.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Daśaratha’s protective concern and sense of duty as a ruler—readiness to personally share risk and provide security.