Valmiki Ramayana 1.21.17: Bala Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 17
बालकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः · Daśaratha’s Promise, Vasiṣṭha’s Counsel, and Viśvāmitra’s Weapon
Lore
Spoken by Vasistha to King Daśaratha
सुप्रभाऽजनयच्चापि पुत्रान्पञ्चाशतं पुनः ।
संहारान्नामदुर्धर्षान् दुराक्रामान् बलीयसः ॥१७॥
suprabhā ’janayac cāpi putrān pañcāśataṃ punaḥ |
saṃhārān nāma durdharṣān durākrāmān balīyasaḥ ||17||
സുപ്രഭയും വീണ്ടും അമ്പത് പുത്രന്മാരെ പ്രസവിച്ചു; അവർ ‘സംഹാര’ എന്നു പേരുള്ളവർ—അദമ്യർ, ജയിക്കാൻ ദുഷ്കരർ, അത്യന്തം ബലവാന്മാർ.
Sandhi Notes
- सुप्रभाऽजनयत् = सुप्रभा + अजनयत् (आ + अ → आ’)
- जनयच्चापि = जनयत् + च + अपि (त् + च → च्च)
Suprabha gave birth to another fifty sons named Samharas who are unassailable, invincible and more powerful.
The teaching
Not all destruction is adharma; when aligned with rightful order, dissolution becomes a protective and purifying function.
Duties in tension
- Preservation of life vs necessity of dissolution to end adharma
- Mercy vs enforcement of cosmic order
- Ethical theme
- Loka-saṅgraha through necessary force; cosmic duty (niyati)
- How it resolves
- Cosmic-function framing (saṃhāra as necessary)
For your practice
Useful for meditating on disciplined strength and the capacity to end harmful patterns; aligns with inner saṃhāra of vices.
Mood and themes
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism), with Adbhuta (wonder)
- Mood
- Unyielding, mighty, ominous
Themes
- Dharma
- Protection-of-world
- Itihasa
- Ethics
Saṃhāra corresponds to the withdrawal of names and forms; destructive power is not ‘evil’ but a function within cosmic regulation.
Cyclic cosmology: emergence and dissolution; the return of forms into their source (laya) as a cosmic principle.
- Suprabha and Jaya
- Sisters (both Dakṣa-kanyā) (harmonious)
Purāṇic triad of sṛṣṭi-sthiti-saṃhāra functions (conceptual parallel); Mahābhārata descriptions of irresistible warriors (durākramāḥ)
Vedic Rudra/saṃhāra imagery (as a function, not explicit deity here)
Bālakāṇḍa astras as irresistible forces when invoked
Anuṣṭup (śloka)
Solemn
Grave lower register on saṃhārān nāma, with firm cadence on durākramān
FAQs
It reinforces the idea that overwhelming force exists within a dharmic narrative as a controlled instrument—meant to counter disorder when guided by righteous authority.
The mythic account concludes this segment by describing Suprabhā’s additional fifty sons, the Saṃhāras, noted for irresistible power.
Invincibility under discipline—strength portrayed as effective when aligned with a rightful mission.
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