Shloka 24

बालकाण्डे षट्सप्ततितमः सर्गः

Rāma Subdues Paraśurāma; the Vaiṣṇava Arrow Is Discharged

Devanagari script

रामं दाशरथिं रामो जामदग्न्य: प्रशस्य च।तत: प्रदक्षिणी कृत्य जगामात्मगतिं प्रभु:।।।।

Transliteration

rāmaṁ dāśarathiṁ rāmo jāmadagnyaḥ praśasya ca | tataḥ pradakṣiṇī kṛtya jagāma ātmagatiṁ prabhuḥ ||

Translation

ਤਦ ਸ਼ਕਤੀਸ਼ਾਲੀ ਜਮਦਗਨਿ-ਪੁੱਤਰ ਪਰਸ਼ੁਰਾਮ ਨੇ ਦਸ਼ਰਥ-ਨੰਦਨ ਰਾਮ ਦੀ ਸਤੁਤੀ ਕੀਤੀ; ਅਤੇ ਭਾਵ-ਭਕਤੀ ਨਾਲ ਪ੍ਰਦੱਖਿਣਾ ਕਰ ਕੇ ਆਪਣੇ ਨਿਯਤ ਧਾਮ ਵੱਲ ਚਲਾ ਗਿਆ।

Word by Word

• rāmam: Rama
• rāmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• dāśarathim: son of Daśaratha
• dāśarathim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāśarathi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); उपाधि/पितृनाम-व्युत्पन्न (patronymic)

• rāmaḥ: Rama (Paraśurāma)
• rāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• jāmadagnyaḥ: Jāmadagnya (Paraśurāma)
• jāmadagnyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jāmadagnya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); गोत्र/पितृनाम-व्युत्पन्न (descendant of Jamadagni)

• praśasya: having praised
• praśasya: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√śaṃs (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययार्थे ल्यप्/तुमुन्-न; here: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) from √śaṃs with prefix pra-; अव्ययभाव (indeclinable gerund)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• pradakṣiṇī: circumambulation
• pradakṣiṇī: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pradakṣiṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मप्रवचनीय-प्रयोगे (object of kṛtya)

• kṛtya: having done/made
• kṛtya: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) from √kṛ; अव्ययभाव (indeclinable)

• jagāma: went
• jagāma: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• ātmagatim: to his own abode/way
• ātmagatim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpuruṣa: आत्मनः गतिः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• prabhuḥ: the lord/mighty one
• prabhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Context

Infuriated Rama bent the bow stretched it, fixed the arrow and addressed Parasurama, the son of Jamadagni:

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (Dāśarathi)
• Daśaratha
• Jāmadagnya (Paraśurāma)
• pradakṣiṇā (circumambulation)

FAQs

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

Dharma culminates in recognition of rightful superiority and reconciliation: reverence (pradakṣiṇā) replaces rivalry, and conflict ends without lingering hatred.

What is the narrative situation?

Paraśurāma praises Rāma, performs pradakṣiṇā, and departs—formally closing the confrontation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Humility and moral clarity—Paraśurāma honors Rāma once truth is manifest.