Shloka 19

दशमः सर्गः — Rama’s Vow to Protect the Sages of Daṇḍaka

Dharma of Refuge

Devanagari script

अप्यहं जीवितं जह्यां त्वां वा सीते सलक्ष्मणाम्।न तु प्रतिज्ञां संश्रुत्य ब्राह्मणेभ्यो विशेषतः।।।।

Transliteration

apy ahaṁ jīvitaṁ jahyāṁ tvāṁ vā sīte sa-lakṣmaṇām |

na tu pratijñāṁ saṁśrutya brāhmaṇebhyo viśeṣataḥ ||

Translation

ഹേ സീതേ, ഞാൻ എന്റെ ജീവൻ പോലും ഉപേക്ഷിക്കാം—അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ലക്ഷ്മണനോടുകൂടെ നിന്നെയും—എന്നാൽ ബ്രാഹ്മണന്മാർക്കു പ്രത്യേകമായി ഞാൻ ഗൗരവത്തോടെ ചെയ്ത പ്രതിജ്ഞ ഞാൻ ഒരിക്കലും ലംഘിക്കുകയില്ല.

Word by Word

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; concessive/emphatic = 'even'

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• jīvitam: life
• jīvitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; object of jahyām

• jahyām: might abandon
• jahyām: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hā (हा धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्/आशीर्लिङ् (optative/benedictive nuance), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; 'I might abandon'

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (युष्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प (disjunctive particle) = 'or'

• sīte: O Sita
• sīte: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• salakṣmaṇām: together with Lakshmana
• salakṣmaṇām: Karma (कर्म; object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa-lakṣmaṇā (प्रातिपदिक; components: sa + lakṣmaṇa)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; 'together with Lakṣmaṇa' qualifying 'tvām' (i.e., you along with Lakṣmaṇa)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/पक्षान्तर (but/however)

• pratijñām: promise
• pratijñām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prati-jñā (प्रतिज्ञा प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; object (to abandon) understood

• saṃśrutya: having promised
• saṃśrutya: Kriya (क्रिया; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-śru (संश्रु धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त; 'having promised'

• brāhmaṇebhyaḥ: to the brahmins
• brāhmaṇebhyaḥ: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान; to/for)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), बहुवचन; सम्प्रदान (recipient)

• viśeṣataḥ: especially
• viśeṣataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण = 'especially'

Context

O sinless one! all that has been said by you is out of your love and affection for me. I am pleased. What is harmful is never advised.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Sita
• Lakshmana
• brāhmaṇas

FAQs

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

The inviolability of a vow (pratijñā) grounded in satya: dharma demands that one’s word to the righteous (here, brāhmaṇas/sages) is not negotiable.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama intensifies his commitment before Sita, stating that he would rather lose even life than violate his pledged protection.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Uncompromising integrity—Rama prioritizes truth and duty above personal attachment and even survival.