Shloka 27

Devanagari script

अप्रमादाच्च गन्तव्यं सर्वैरपि निशाचरैः।कर्तव्यश्च सदा यत्नो राघवस्य वधं प्रति।।।।

Transliteration

apramādāc ca gantavyaṁ sarvair api niśācaraiḥ | kartavyaś ca sadā yatno rāghavasya vadhaṁ prati ||

Translation

Wahai semua raksasa pengembara malam, hendaklah kamu berangkat dengan penuh waspada; dan sentiasalah berusaha bersungguh-sungguh menuju pembunuhan Rāghava (Rāma).

Word by Word

• apramādāt: with alertness
• apramādāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apramāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Pañcamī vibhakti (Ablative), Ekavacana; used adverbially: ‘from/with vigilance’

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya-dyotaka (समुच्चयद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• gantavyam: must go
• gantavyam: Vidhi (विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु) + tavya (तव्य)
• Form: Gerundive (तव्यत्), Napuṃsaka, Prathamā Ekavacana; impersonal obligation: ‘it is to be gone’

• sarvaiḥ: by all
• sarvaiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Tṛtīyā vibhakti, Bahuvacana; qualifying niśācaraiḥ

• api: also
• api: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle ‘also/even’

• niśācaraiḥ: by the night-rangers (demons)
• niśācaraiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niśācara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental), Bahuvacana

• kartavyaḥ: must be done
• kartavyaḥ: Vidhi (विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + tavya (तव्य)
• Form: Gerundive (तव्यत्), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; agreeing with yatnaḥ: ‘to be done’

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya-dyotaka (समुच्चयद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb of time

• yatnaḥ: effort
• yatnaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yatna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā vibhakti, Ekavacana

• rāghavasya: of Rāghava (Rāma)
• rāghavasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive), Ekavacana

• vadham: killing
• vadham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Dvitīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana

• prati: towards, for
• prati: Prayojana/Viṣaya (प्रयोजन/विषय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prati (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; preposition governing accusative

Context

All of you, O night-rangers, should be on the alert there and it should be always your duty to try to kill Rama.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Rāghava (Rāma)
• Niśācaras

FAQs

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

It presents vigilance (apramāda) as a neutral skill; dharma depends on purpose. Here, constant effort is directed toward unjust killing, underscoring how discipline without righteousness becomes adharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa commands all rākṣasas to act carefully and continuously attempt to slay Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Persistence and alertness—shown as organizational strengths, but morally corrupted by the aim.