Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 19, Shloka 21

विश्वामित्रस्य यज्ञरक्षा-याचना

Visvamitra Requests Rama for Yajna-Protection

Devanagari script

इति हृदयमनोविदारणंमुनिवचनं तदतीव शुश्रुवान्।नरपतिरभवन्महांस्तदाव्यथितमना: प्रचचाल चासनात्।।।।

Transliteration

iti hṛdayamano-vidāraṇaṃ munivacanaṃ tad atīva śuśruvān | narapatir abhavan mahāṃs tadā vyathitamanāḥ pracacāla cāsanāt ||

Translation

ഹൃദയവും മനസ്സും കീറിത്തുറക്കുന്ന മുനിവചനങ്ങൾ അത്യന്തം കേട്ടപ്പോൾ, മഹാനായ നരപതി ആ വേളയിൽ വ്യഥിതമനസ്സനായി, സിംഹാസനത്തിൽ നിന്ന് വഴുതിപ്പോകുന്നതുപോലെ വിറച്ചു എഴുന്നേറ്റു.

Word by Word

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

• hṛdaya-mano-vidāraṇam: heart-and-mind rending
• hṛdaya-mano-vidāraṇam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक) + manas (प्रातिपदिक) + vidāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; compound expressing effect: 'hṛdayaṃ ca manaś ca vidārayati yat' (that which rends heart and mind) qualifying muni-vacanam

• muni-vacanam: the sage's words
• muni-vacanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक) + vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'muneḥ vacanam'

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Neuter, Accusative, Singular; in apposition to muni-vacanam

• atīva: exceedingly
• atīva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atīva (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (अतीव)

• śuśruvān: having heard
• śuśruvān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (श्रु धातु)
• Form: Perfect active participle (लिट्-कृदन्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with nara-patiḥ

• nara-patiḥ: the king
• nara-patiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'narāṇām patiḥ'

• abhavat: became
• abhavat: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• mahān: great
• mahān: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifies nara-patiḥ

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of time (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

• vyathita-manāḥ: distressed in mind
• vyathita-manāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vyathita (कृदन्त; √vyath धातु PPP) + manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; बहुव्रीहि: 'vyathitaṃ manaḥ yasya' (whose mind is distressed)

• pracacāla: trembled / moved
• pracacāla: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √cal (चल् धातु) with pra- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• āsanāt: from the seat/throne
• āsanāt: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

Context

O tiger among kings! it is befitting of you to entrust your eldest son Rama to me who is valiant, young (having side-locks of hair) and true to his prowess.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• Daśaratha
• throne (āsana)

FAQs

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

The verse captures the tension between personal attachment and duty: dharma often demands painful choices, and truthfulness to one’s promise can distress even a great king.

What is the narrative situation?

After hearing Viśvāmitra’s heart-rending request (to entrust Rāma), Daśaratha becomes mentally shaken and physically unsteady on his throne.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Daśaratha’s seriousness about duty and promise is implied by his shock; his inner conflict highlights how weighty dharmic obligations can be.