Valmiki Ramayana 2.119.20: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 119, Shloka 20

अनसूयाप्रीतिदानम्

Anasūyā’s Blessing and the Forest Path

Devanagari script

उच्छिष्टं वा प्रमत्तं वा तापसं धर्मचारिणम्।अदन्त्यस्मिन्महारण्ये तान्निवारय राघव।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.119.20

Transliteration

ucchiṣṭaṃ vā pramattaṃ vā tāpasaṃ dharmacāriṇam |

adanty asmin mahāraṇye tān nivāraya rāghava ||

Translation

ఈ మహారణ్యంలో ధర్మాచారులైన తపస్వి ఉచ్ఛిష్టంతో అపవిత్రుడైనా, లేదా ప్రమాదంతో నిర్లక్ష్యుడైనా, రాక్షసులు అతనిని భక్షిస్తారు; ఓ రాఘవా, వారిని ఆపి నివారించు।

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Word by Word

• ucchiṣṭam: impure/defiled
• ucchiṣṭam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ucchiṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of tāpasam

• vā: or
• vā: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (disjunctive particle)

• pramattam: careless
• pramattam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√mad (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'careless/inattentive'

• vā: or
• vā: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (disjunctive particle)

• tāpasam: an ascetic
• tāpasam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāpasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• dharmacāriṇam: righteous in conduct
• dharmacāriṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + cārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः; agrees with tāpasam

• adanti: devour
• adanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ad (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• asmin: in this
• asmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• mahāraṇye: in the great forest
• mahāraṇye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + araṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• tān: them
• tān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• nivāraya: restrain/prevent
• nivāraya: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√vṛ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• rāghava: O Raghava
• rāghava: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Context

The resplendent Sun has set. The auspcious night is drawing near. The birds who forage far and wide for food during the day return to their nests to rest for the night. You can hear them twittering.

Characters & Entities

• Rāghava (Rama)
• Mahāraṇya (great forest)
• Tāpasa (ascetic)
• Rākṣasas (implied by context)

FAQs

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

Dharma emphasizes protection of dharma-practitioners: a ruler/warrior must safeguard even the vulnerable or imperfect, not only the vigilant and strong.

What is the narrative situation?

Ascetics petition Rama to stop rākṣasas who prey on hermits when they are inattentive or ritually compromised.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s expected virtue is rakṣaṇa (protective guardianship): the kṣatriya obligation to defend ascetics and uphold righteous order.