Shloka 8

षष्ठस्सर्गः — तपस्विरक्षणे राजधर्मोपदेशः

Sarga 6: The Sages’ Appeal and Instruction on Royal Duty

Devanagari script

त्वमिक्ष्वाकुकुलस्यास्य पृथिव्याश्च महारथ।प्रधानश्चासि नाथश्च देवानां मघवानिव।।।।

Transliteration

tvam ikṣvākukulasyāsya pṛthivyāś ca mahāratha |

pradhānaś cāsi nāthaś ca devānāṁ maghavān iva || 3.6.8 ||

Translation

โอ้มหารถี! พระองค์ทรงเป็นผู้ประธานและเป็นนาถแห่งราชวงศ์อิกษวากุนี้ และแห่งแผ่นดิน—ดุจมฆวาน (อินทรา) ในหมู่เทพทั้งหลาย

Word by Word

• ततः: then, therefore
• ततः: Kāla (काल) (temporal marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय) (तद्-प्रभव)
• Form: काल/अनन्तर-अव्यय (adverb: 'then/thereupon')

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (कर्म) (object of समुपस्थिताः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम (2nd person pronoun), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• शरणार्थम्: for refuge, for protection
• शरणार्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन) (purpose)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शरण + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) (समास)
• Form: अर्थे द्वितीया (accusative used adverbially for purpose), अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: 'शरणस्य अर्थः' = for the sake of refuge

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

• शरण्यम्: worthy of giving refuge
• शरण्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of त्वाम्
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् to त्वाम्

• समुपस्थिताः: have come, have approached
• समुपस्थिताः: Karta (कर्ता) (subject: 'we')
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + उप + √स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past active participle in sense), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); कर्तरि प्रयोगः: 'we have approached/come'

• परिपालय: protect
• परिपालय: Kriyā (क्रिया) (command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + √पाल् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम्

• नः: us
• नः: Karma (कर्म) (object of परिपालय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम (1st person pronoun), षष्ठी/द्वितीया (Gen/Acc) बहुवचन-एकादेश (enclitic); here as object 'us' (accusative sense)

• राम: O Rama
• राम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• वध्यमानान्: being killed
• वध्यमानान्: Karma (कर्म) (qualifying the object 'us')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √वध् (धातु) + य (passive) + शानच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम् to नः (us): 'being slain'

• निशाचरैः: by the night-stalkers (demons)
• निशाचरैः: Karta (कर्ता) (agent in passive sense: by the night-walkers)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा + चर (प्रातिपदिक) (समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: 'निशायां चरन्ति' (those who move at night)

Context

Vaikhanasas, Valakhilyas, sages who continuously wash their bodies, Marichakas Asmakuttas sages who live on leaves only, those who have teeth like mortar, Unmajjakas, those who use limbs as their bed, those who practise penance without using a bed, those who do penance in the open, unmindful of rain or Sun or wind, those who live on water only, those who penance under the open sky, those who carry on penance on high places like the mountaintop, those who recline on bare ground only, those who observe fast as a part of religious tradition, those selfrestrained men, those who mutter sacred mantras, those who constantly perform penance and those who stand under the blazing Sun in summer placing fire on four sides while performing penanceall these types of sages met Rama in the hermitage of Sarabhanga.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Ikṣvāku-kula
• Pṛthivī (earth)
• Maghavān (Indra)
• Devas

FAQs

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

Kingly dharma as protection and leadership: Rāma is praised as nātha (protector-lord) whose authority is meant to uphold order on earth.

What is the narrative situation?

The sages formally acclaim Rāma’s status and legitimacy, framing him as a rightful protector even while he lives as an exile in the forest.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s virtue of rightful leadership—being pradhāna and nātha, i.e., fit to guide and safeguard others.