Valmiki Ramayana 6.18.2 — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 18, Shloka 2

शरणागति

धर्मनिर्णयः (Decision on Refuge and Dharma) / Rama’s Vow of Protection and the Acceptance of Vibhishana

Devanagari script

ममापितुविवक्षाऽस्तिकाचित्प्रतिविभीषणम् ।श्रोतुमिच्छामितत्सर्वंभवद्भिश्श्रेयसिस्थितैः ।।।।

Transliteration

mamāpi tu vivakṣā ’sti kācit prati vibhīṣaṇam | śrotum icchāmi tat sarvaṃ bhavadbhiḥ śreyasi sthitaiḥ ||

Translation

Eu também desejo dizer algumas palavras a respeito de Vibhīṣaṇa. Quero que todos vós, firmes no que é para o meu bem, escuteis por inteiro tudo o que vou dizer.

Word by Word

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (6th), Singular; ‘of me/my’

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle (निपात), ‘also/even’

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adversative/emphatic particle (निपात)

• vivakṣā: wish to speak
• vivakṣā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vivakṣā (प्रातिपदिक; इच्छा-वाचक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st), Singular

• asti: is
• asti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस् धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person, Singular

• kācit: some/a certain
• kācit: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kim (किम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Indefinite pronoun used adjectivally; Feminine, Nominative, Singular; qualifies ‘vivakṣā’

• prati: towards/about
• prati: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prati (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
• Form: Avyaya, preposition-like particle (उपपद), governs accusative; ‘towards/about’

• vibhīṣaṇam: Vibhishana
• vibhīṣaṇam: Sampradana/Prati (सम्प्रदानम्/प्रति-सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhīṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• śrotum: to hear
• śrotum: Prayojana (प्रयोजनम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (श्रु धातु)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्), ‘to hear’

• icchāmi: I wish
• icchāmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (इष् धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; demonstrative pronoun

• sarvam: all
• sarvam: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (सर्व प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; qualifies ‘tat’

• bhavadbhiḥ: by you (honoured ones)
• bhavadbhiḥ: Karana (करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (भवत् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (honorific), Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• śreyasi: in what is best
• śreyasi: Adhikarana (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śreyas (श्रेयस् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular; ‘in welfare/right course’

• sthitaiḥ: standing/established (devoted)
• sthitaiḥ: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (स्था धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; agrees with ‘bhavadbhiḥ’

Context

"The sinless ones respect the kings of their clan as friendly ones. But by and large such kings also do not believe the virtuous ones among the kings."

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Vibhīṣaṇa

FAQs

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

Responsible leadership: before acting, a righteous leader speaks openly and invites attentive hearing from well-wishers, aligning decisions with dharma rather than impulse.

What is the narrative situation?

Vibhīṣaṇa has approached Rāma’s camp, and Rāma signals that he will state his view and wants his allies to hear it fully.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s deliberative fairness—he consults and clarifies his intent before making a consequential decision.