Shloka 14

राज्ञः शङ्का

प्रत्याख्यानम् (Daśaratha’s Objections to Sending Rāma) — Bala Kanda, Sarga 20

Devanagari script

सर्वं मे शंस भगवन्कथं तेषां मया रणे।।।।स्थातव्यं दुष्टभावानां वीर्योत्सिक्ता हि राक्षसा:।4तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा विश्वामित्रोऽभ्यभाषत।।।।

Transliteration

sarvaṃ me śaṃsa bhagavan kathaṃ teṣāṃ mayā raṇe |

sthātavyaṃ duṣṭa-bhāvānāṃ vīryotsiktā hi rākṣasāḥ |

tasya tad-vacanaṃ śrutvā viśvāmitro 'bhyabhāṣata ||1.20.14||

Translation

ਹੇ ਭਗਵਨ, ਮੈਨੂੰ ਸਭ ਕੁਝ ਦੱਸੋ—ਯੁੱਧ ਵਿੱਚ ਮੈਂ ਉਹਨਾਂ ਦੇ ਸਾਹਮਣੇ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਡਟ ਕੇ ਖੜਾ ਰਹਾਂ? ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਉਹ ਰਾਖਸ਼ ਦੁਸ਼ਟ ਸੁਭਾਵ ਦੇ ਹਨ ਅਤੇ ਆਪਣੀ ਵੀਰਤਾ ਦੇ ਅਹੰਕਾਰ ਨਾਲ ਮੱਤੇ ਹੋਏ ਹਨ। ਦਸ਼ਰਥ ਦੇ ਇਹ ਬਚਨ ਸੁਣ ਕੇ ਵਿਸ਼ਵਾਮਿਤ੍ਰ ਨੇ ਉੱਤਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ।

Word by Word

• सर्वम्: all (this)
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘शंस’ इति क्रियायाः कर्म

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अस्मद्-सर्वनाम; चतुर्थी/षष्ठी एकवचन-रूप (Dat/Gen sg); अत्र चतुर्थी (to me)

• शंस: tell / explain
• शंस: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śaṃs (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/लोट्), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भगवन्: O venerable one
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अस्मद्-सर्वनाम; तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/तृतीया), एकवचन

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• स्थातव्यम्: must stand / must hold (my ground)
• स्थातव्यम्: Vidheyabhāva (विधेय/Obligation predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (धातु) + tavya (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; कर्तरि-प्रयोगे ‘मया ... स्थातव्यम्’ = “I must stand/hold my ground”

• दुष्टभावानाम्: of the wicked-natured
• दुष्टभावानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: दुष्टः भावः येषाम् (wicked-natured)

• वीर्योत्सिक्ताः: proud of their prowess
• वीर्योत्सिक्ताः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vīrya (प्रातिपदिक) + utsikta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: वीर्येण उत्सिक्ताः = ‘puffed up by prowess’

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipāta (निपात/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• राक्षसाः: the rākṣasas
• राक्षसाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

Context

O venerable one, how to fight those wicked-natured ones in the battle and stay aginst them? For rakshasas are proud of their prowess". Having heard the words of Dasaratha, Viswamitra said:

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Viśvāmitra
• rākṣasas

FAQs

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

Dharma includes seeking right counsel: Daśaratha turns to a venerable sage for truthful guidance on confronting evil, rather than relying only on pride or impulse.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha asks Viśvāmitra for a complete assessment and strategy; the narration then pivots to Viśvāmitra’s response.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Teachability and deference to spiritual authority—Daśaratha requests instruction from the sage.