Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 61, Shloka 17

शुनःशेफविक्रयः

The Sale of Śunaḥśepa for the Sacrifice

Devanagari script

अविक्रेयं सुतं ज्येष्ठं भगवानाह भार्गव:।।।।ममापि दयितं विद्धि कनिष्ठं शुनकं नृप।तस्मात्कनीयसं पुत्रं न दास्ये तव पार्थिव ।।।।

Transliteration

avikreyaṃ sutaṃ jyeṣṭhaṃ bhagavān āha bhārgavaḥ |

mamāpi dayitaṃ viddhi kaniṣṭhaṃ śunakaṃ nṛpa |

tasmāt kanīyasaṃ putraṃ na dāsye tava pārthiva ||

Translation

ଭଗବାନ୍ ଭାର୍ଗବ କହିଲେ: “ଜ୍ୟେଷ୍ଠ ପୁତ୍ର ବିକ୍ରୟଯୋଗ୍ୟ ନୁହେଁ। ହେ ନୃପ, କନିଷ୍ଠ ଶୁନକ ମୋ ପାଇଁ ମଧ୍ୟ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ପ୍ରିୟ—ଏହା ଜାଣ; ତେଣୁ ହେ ପାର୍ଥିବ, ମୁଁ ମୋ କନିଷ୍ଠ ପୁତ୍ରକୁ ତୁମକୁ ଦେବି ନାହିଁ।”

Word by Word

• avikreyam: not to be sold
• avikreyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-vikreya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण of sutaṃ

• sutam: son
• sutam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• jyeṣṭham: eldest
• jyeṣṭham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jyeṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण of sutaṃ

• bhagavān: the venerable one
• bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• āha: said
• āha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ah (अह्) (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथमा पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• bhārgavaḥ: Bhārgava (descendant of Bhṛgu)
• bhārgavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhārgava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); apposition to bhagavān

• mama: of me / my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle)

• dayitam: beloved
• dayitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dayita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण of (sutam understood) / kaniṣṭham śunakam

• viddhi: know (you should know)
• viddhi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (विद्) (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यम पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• kaniṣṭham: youngest
• kaniṣṭham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kaniṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण of śunakam

• śunakam: Śunaka (name)
• śunakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śunaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• nṛpa: O king
• nṛpa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग (ablatival adverbial use), हेत्वर्थ (therefore/from that reason)

• kanīyasam: younger
• kanīyasam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kanīyas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); comparative; विशेषण of putram

• putram: son
• putram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध (negation particle)

• dāsye: I will give
• dāsye: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (दा) (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, उत्तम पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular)

• tava: to you / your
• tava: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• pārthiva: O king
• pārthiva: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārthiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

Characters & Entities

• Ṛcīka
• Bhārgava
• Ambarīṣa

FAQs

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

The verse frames a boundary of moral propriety: certain familial obligations are treated as inviolable—here, the father asserts that the eldest should not be commodified, and he refuses to surrender the youngest whom he cherishes.

What is the narrative situation?

King Ambarīṣa seeks a son (as part of the Śunaḥśepa narrative). The father Ṛcīka responds by refusing to part with either the eldest (non-sellable) or the youngest (beloved).

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Protectiveness and principled refusal—upholding a claimed rule of propriety even under royal request.