Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 76, Shloka 13

बालकाण्डे षट्सप्ततितमः सर्गः

Rāma Subdues Paraśurāma; the Vaiṣṇava Arrow Is Discharged

Devanagari script

काश्यपाय मया दत्ता यदा पूर्वं वसुन्धरा।विषये मे न वस्तव्यमिति मां काश्यपोऽब्रवीत्।।।।

Transliteration

kāśyapāya mayā dattā yadā pūrvaṃ vasundharā | viṣaye me na vastavyam iti māṃ kāśyapo ’bravīt ||

Translation

ໃນກ່ອນການ ເມື່ອຂ້າພະເຈົ້າໄດ້ຖວາຍແຜ່ນດິນແກ່ກາສະຍະປະແລ້ວ ກາສະຍະປະໄດ້ກ່າວກັບຂ້າພະເຈົ້າວ່າ “ເຈົ້າບໍ່ພຶງພັກອາໄສໃນເຂດອຳນາດຂອງເຮົາ”

Word by Word

• काश्यपाय: to Kāśyapa
• काश्यपाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśyapa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन (Singular)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन (Singular)

• दत्ता: given
• दत्ता: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धाातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि-प्रत्ययान्त (Past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मणि-भावः (passive sense)

• यदा: when
• यदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: formerly)

• वसुन्धरा: the earth
• वसुन्धरा: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasundharā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• विषये: in the domain/territory
• विषये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन (Singular)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• वस्तव्यम्: to be lived (should live)
• वस्तव्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vas (वस् धातु) + tavya (तव्य)
• Form: कृदन्त-तव्यत् (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; विधेय-भावः (ought/should)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular)

• काश्यपः: Kāśyapa
• काश्यपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśyapa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (ब्रू धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

Context

"When I gave this entire earth to Kasyapa, he said to me, 'you shall not live in my country'.

Characters & Entities

• Paraśurāma
• Kāśyapa
• Earth (vasundharā)

FAQs

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

Satya and dharma in giving: a gift (dāna) entails honoring its consequences—Paraśurāma acknowledges Kāśyapa’s rightful authority over what was given.

What is the narrative situation?

Paraśurāma explains the earlier episode of donating the earth to Kāśyapa and the restriction placed upon him afterward.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Accountability and truthfulness: he openly states the binding condition that governs his conduct.