Shloka 20

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

Dharma of Refuge

Devanagari script

तदवश्यं मया कार्यमृषीणां परिपालनम्।अनुक्तेनापि वैदेहि प्रतिज्ञाय तु किं पुनः।।।।

Transliteration

tad avaśyaṁ mayā kāryam ṛṣīṇāṁ paripālanam |

anuktenāpi vaidehi pratijñāya tu kiṁ punaḥ ||

Translation

അതുകൊണ്ട്, ഹേ വൈദേഹീ, ഋഷിമാരുടെ സംരക്ഷണം ഞാൻ നിർബന്ധമായും ചെയ്യണം—അവർ പറഞ്ഞില്ലെങ്കിലും; പിന്നെ ഞാൻ പ്രതിജ്ഞ ചെയ്തിരിക്കുമ്പോൾ എത്രയധികം!

Word by Word

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (कर्ता; subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; 'that' referring to paripālanam

• avaśyam: certainly
• avaśyam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: avaśya (अव्यय/विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक क्रियाविशेषण = 'certainly/necessarily'

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद्)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन; agent

• kāryam: must be done
• kāryam: Kriya (क्रिया; obligation predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक; from kṛ धातु, यत्)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'to be done/ought to be done' predicative with 'tat'

• ṛṣīṇām: of sages
• ṛṣīṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• paripālanam: protection
• paripālanam: Karta (कर्ता; subject/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pari-pālana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; apposition to 'tat'

• anuktena: even without being requested
• anuktena: Karana (करण; circumstance)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an-ukta (प्रातिपदिक; from vac धातु, क्त; with negation)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; 'even without being asked/said' (instrument of circumstance)

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

• vaidehi: O Vaidehi
• vaidehi: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaidehī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, संबोधन, एकवचन

• pratijñāya: after promising
• pratijñāya: Adhikarana (अधिकरण; circumstance)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prati-jñā (प्रतिज्ञा प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; 'after/when (there is) a promise' (locative absolute-like)

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

• kim: what
• kim: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक अव्यय (interrogative used idiomatically)

• punaḥ: more/further
• punaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; 'again/further' (here: 'what more')

Context

Your auspicious words are quite befitting your lineage. You are the follower of my dharma and so dearer to me than my life.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Sita (Vaidehi)
• sages (ṛṣi)

FAQs

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

Dharma can be intrinsic duty, not merely a response to request: the righteous should be protected as a matter of obligation; a vow only strengthens that obligation.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama argues that he was duty-bound to protect the sages regardless; since he has vowed, the duty becomes even more binding.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Proactive righteousness—Rama frames protection as a natural responsibility, not a favor.