Valmiki Ramayana 1.21.8 — Bala Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 8

बालकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः

Daśaratha’s Promise, Vasiṣṭha’s Counsel, and Viśvāmitra’s Weapon-Lore

Devanagari script

संश्रुत्यैवं करिष्यामीत्यकुर्वाणस्य राघव।इष्टापूर्तवधो भूयात्तस्माद्रामं विसर्जय।।।।

Transliteration

saṃśrutyaivaṃ kariṣyāmīty akurvāṇasya rāghava |

iṣṭāpūrtavadho bhūyāt tasmād rāmaṃ visarjaya ||

Translation

О Рагхава, у того, кто, пообещав «так и сделаю», не исполняет, гибнет заслуга жертвоприношений и даров. Потому отпусти Раму (с мудрецом).

Word by Word

• संश्रुत्य: having promised
• संश्रुत्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive); 'having promised/assented'

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/in this way)

• करिष्यामि: I shall do
• करिष्यामि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (simple future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• इति: saying/thus
• इति: Sambandha (उद्धरण-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरणसूचक

• अकुर्वाणस्य: of one who does not fulfill
• अकुर्वाणस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle) 'कुर्वाण' + नञ्-पूर्वपद; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; 'of one not doing/fulfilling'

• राघव: O Rāghava
• राघव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• इष्टापूर्तवधः: destruction of sacrificial/charitable merit
• इष्टापूर्तवधः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इष्ट-आपूर्त-वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (इष्टस्य च आपूर्तस्य च वधः)

• भूयात्: would occur/may be
• भूयात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तस्मात् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक 'तद्')
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-निपातवत्; हेत्वर्थे (therefore/from that reason)

• रामम्: Rāma
• रामम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विसर्जय: send/dispatch
• विसर्जय: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Context

O Dasaratha, a promise made and not kept amounts to destruction of merits earned through previous pieties. Therefore send Rama (with him).

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Daśaratha (Rāghava)
• Rāma

FAQs

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

Satya (keeping one’s pledged word) is dharma; breaking a promise is portrayed as spiritually destructive, nullifying accumulated religious merit.

What is the narrative situation?

Vasiṣṭha presses Daśaratha to honor his commitment to Viśvāmitra by sending Rāma, warning of the moral and ritual consequences of failing one’s promise.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Truthfulness and reliability (satya-niṣṭhā): a king’s word must be unwavering.