Yuddha Kanda Sarga 18 Shloka 29 - Valmiki Ramayana | Sanskrit | Vedapath

Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 18, Shloka 29

शरणागति

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

Devanagari script

विनष्टःपश्यतस्तस्यारक्षिणश्शरणागतः ।आदायसुकृतंतस्यसर्वंगच्छेदरक्षित:।। ।।

Transliteration

vinaṣṭaḥ paśyatas tasyārakṣiṇaḥ śaraṇāgataḥ | ādāya sukṛtaṃ tasya sarvaṃ gacched arakṣitaḥ || 6.18.29 ||

Translation

पश्यतः तस्यारक्षिणः शरणागतः विनष्टः चेत्, स रक्षिता नष्टो भवति; अरक्षितः च तस्य सर्वं सुकृतम् आदाय गच्छेत्।

Word by Word

vinaṣṭaḥruined/destroyed

paśyataḥwhile (he) looks on / in the presence of

tasyaof him

arakṣiṇaḥof the one who fails to protect

śaraṇāgataḥa refugee; one who has sought protection

ādāyahaving taken away

sukṛtammerit

tasyaof him

sarvamall/entire

gacchetwould go/should go away

arakṣitaḥthe unprotected (person)

Context

"One who fails to protect a refugee who seeks protection from him is ruined in the eyes of the refugee and he takes away all the merit."

Characters & Entities

Rāma

Sugrīva

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

Failing to protect a surrendered person destroys one’s dharmic merit (sukṛta) and moral standing; protection is a binding obligation.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma articulates the spiritual and social cost of refusing refuge, closing the ethical argument with consequences.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reliability as a protector—being worthy of trust by safeguarding those who depend on one’s shelter.