Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 54, Shloka 9

शबलाहरणम्

The Attempted Seizure of Sabalā (Kāmadhenu) and the Triumph of Brahmic Power

Devanagari script

न त्वां त्यजामि शबले नापि मेऽपकृतं त्वया।एष त्वां नयते राजा बलोन्मत्तो महाबल:।।।।

Transliteration

na tvāṃ tyajāmi śabale nāpi me 'pakṛtaṃ tvayā | eṣa tvāṃ nayate rājā balonmatto mahābalaḥ ||

Translation

«Não te abandono, ó Śabalā, e tu não me fizeste mal algum. É este rei de grande poder, embriagado de força, quem te leva à força.»

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (negation particle)

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• त्यजामि: I forsake
• त्यजामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• शबले: O Śabale
• शबले: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śabalā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• न: nor
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (negation)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle)

• मे: of me
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी एकवचन (Gen/Dat); अत्र षष्ठी (Genitive) ‘of me’

• अपकृतम्: harm (done)
• अपकृतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apa-kṛ (धातु √कृ; क्त/कृत)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन

• एषः: this (one)
• एषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन

• नयते: takes away
• नयते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √नी (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• बलोन्मत्तः: maddened by power
• बलोन्मत्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bala-unmatta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: बलेन उन्मत्तः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘राजा’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• महाबलः: very powerful
• महाबलः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā-bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास: महत् बलं यस्य; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘राजा’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

Context

"O Sabala! I am not forsaking you. You have done me no harm. This highly powerful king is forcibly carrying you away from me.

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Śabalā
• king (Viśvāmitra, implied by context)

FAQs

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

Truthful clarification and faithful protection are duties of the righteous. Vasiṣṭha affirms he will not forsake the innocent and identifies coercion as a lapse from Dharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Vasiṣṭha reassures Śabalā and explains that the king is forcibly taking her, driven by power-pride.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Satya (truthfulness) and steadfast guardianship—Vasiṣṭha refuses to shift blame onto the innocent and names the ethical fault: power without restraint.