Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 61, Shloka 20

शुनःशेफविक्रयः

The Sale of Śunaḥśepa for the Sacrifice

Devanagari script

उक्तवाक्ये मुनौ तस्मिन् मुनिपत्न्यां तथैव च।शुनश्शेफस्स्वयं राम मध्यमो वाक्यमब्रवीत्।।।।

Transliteration

uktavākye munau tasmin munipatnyāṃ tathaiva ca |

śunaśśephaḥ svayaṃ rāma madhyamo vākyam abravīt ||

Translation

Tatkala muni itu telah berkata demikian—dan demikian pula isteri sang muni—maka Śunaḥśepa, anak yang di tengah, berkata dengan kehendaknya sendiri, wahai Rāma.

Word by Word

• prāyeṇa: generally
• prāyeṇa: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (adverbial instrumental/क्रियाविशेषण), ‘generally’

• hi: indeed / for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (emphatic/causal particle)

• naraśreṣṭha: O best of men
• naraśreṣṭha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara + śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa ‘best of men’

• jyeṣṭhāḥ: the eldest (sons)
• jyeṣṭhāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jyeṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; used substantively ‘eldest (sons)’

• pitṛṣu: among fathers / to fathers
• pitṛṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Bahuvacana; locative ‘among/for fathers’

• vallabhāḥ: beloved
• vallabhāḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vallabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; predicate adjective of jyeṣṭhāḥ

• mātṝṇām: of mothers
• mātṝṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī, Bahuvacana; genitive ‘of mothers’

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (contrastive particle)

• kanīyāṃsaḥ: the younger (sons)
• kanīyāṃsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kanīyas (प्रातिपदिक; comparative)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; used substantively ‘younger (sons)’

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative-form used adverbially; reason/inference

• rakṣe: I will protect
• rakṣe: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √rakṣ (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ (लुट्, periphrastic future), Uttama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• kanīyasam: the younger (son)
• kanīyasam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kanīyas (प्रातिपदिक; comparative)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; object complement ‘the younger one’

Context

"O Delight of the Raghus (Rama)! having purchased Sunassepha for a hundred thousands of cows the king refurned immensely pleased.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Śunaḥśepa

FAQs

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

Dharma here is moral agency: Śunaḥśepa does not remain passive within family conflict but chooses to speak and act, preparing the ground for a truth-oriented decision.

What is the narrative situation?

After both parents refuse to give up their preferred sons, the middle son Śunaḥśepa intervenes by speaking voluntarily.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Courage and initiative—stepping forward to resolve an impasse.