Shloka 18

दशमः सर्गः — Rama’s Vow to Protect the Sages of Daṇḍaka

Dharma of Refuge

Devanagari script

संश्रुत्य च न शक्ष्यामि जीवमानः प्रतिश्रवम्।मुनीनामन्यथा कर्तुं सत्यमिष्टं हि मे सदा।।।।

Transliteration

saṁśrutya ca na śakṣyāmi jīvamānaḥ pratiśravam |

munīnām anyathā kartuṁ satyam iṣṭaṁ hi me sadā ||

Translation

प्रतिश्रवं संश्रुत्याहं जीवमानो न शक्ष्यामि मुनीनां प्रतिज्ञामन्यथा कर्तुं; सत्यं हि मे सदा इष्टम्॥

Word by Word

• saṃśrutya: having promised
• saṃśrutya: Kriya (क्रिया; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-śru (संश्रु धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त; 'having promised'

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

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

• śakṣyāmi: I will be able
• śakṣyāmi: Kriya (क्रिया; main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śak (शक् धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future/भविष्यत्), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• jīvamānaḥ: while alive
• jīvamānaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jīv (जीव् धातु) + śānac (शानच्)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि शानच्; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; 'while living' qualifying 'aham' (implicit)

• pratiśravam: promise
• pratiśravam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratiśrava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; object of 'kartuṃ' with 'anyathā'

• munīnām: of sages
• munīnām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठī), बहुवचन

• anyathā: otherwise
• anyathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• kartuṃ: to do
• kartuṃ: Kriya (क्रिया; infinitival complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु) + tumun (तुमुन्)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive); 'to do/make'

• satyam: truth
• satyam: Karta (कर्ता; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; subject/predicate in 'iṣṭam' construction

• iṣṭam: dear/desired
• iṣṭam: Kriya (क्रिया; predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: iṣṭa (इष्ट प्रातिपदिक; from iṣ धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; predicate adjective with 'satyam'

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; emphasis/causal

• me: to me
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; 'to me/of me' (possessor)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

Context

Even before the sages requested me I should have protected them. What to speak of the promise I have already made ?

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Sita
• sages (muni)
• satya (truth)

FAQs

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

Satya as dharma: once a pledge is made, moral integrity requires unwavering fulfillment for as long as one lives.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama explains to Sita that his promise to the sages cannot be reversed or diluted.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Truthfulness and steadfastness—Rama treats a pledged word as binding.