Valmiki Ramayana 1.20.19 — Bala Kanda, Sarga 20, Shloka 19

राज्ञः शङ्का

प्रत्याख्यानम् (Daśaratha’s Objections to Sending Rāma) — Bala Kanda, Sarga 20

Devanagari script

यदा स्वयं न यज्ञस्य विघ्नकर्ता महाबल:।।1.20.18।।तेन सञ्चोदितौ द्वौ तु राक्षसौ वै महाबलौ।मारीचश्च सुबाहुश्च यज्ञविघ्नं करिष्यत:।।1.20.19।।

Transliteration

yadā svayaṁ na yajñasya vighnakartā mahābalaḥ | tena sañcoditau dvau tu rākṣasau vai mahābalau | mārīcaś ca subāhuś ca yajñavighnaṁ kariṣyataḥ || 1.20.19 ||

Translation

เมื่อผู้มีกำลังมหาศาลนั้นมิได้มาขัดขวางยัญญะด้วยตนเอง เขาย่อมส่งรากษสผู้มีกำลังยิ่งสองตน—มาริจะ และ สุพาหุ—ให้ไปก่อวิฆนะขัดขวางยัญญะ

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Nipāta (निपात/Quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• उक्तः: having been told / addressed
• उक्तः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘राजा’ इति विशेषण

• मुनिना: by the sage
• मुनिना: Karaṇa (करण/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• तेन: by that (one)
• तेन: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया, एकवचन

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मुनिम्: to the sage
• मुनिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• न: not
• न: Niṣedha (निषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipāta (निपात/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• शक्तः: capable
• शक्तः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √śak)
• Form: विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘अस्मि’ इति क्रियायाः विधेय-विशेषण

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सङ्ग्रामे: in battle
• सङ्ग्रामे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṅgrāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• स्थातुम्: to stand / to face
• स्थातुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (infinitive); ‘to stand’

• तस्य: of that (one)
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी, एकवचन

• दुरात्मनः: of the evil-minded one
• दुरात्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: durātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि-समास: दुरात्मा यस्य सः = ‘evil-souled one’

Context

Although endowed with great strength, Ravana, by himself, never created impediments to the sacrifice. But two rakshasas by name Maricha and Subahu are incited by him to cause obstacles".

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Mārīca
• Subāhu
• Yajña

FAQs

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

Dharma includes safeguarding sacred duties (yajña) against disruption; delegating wrongdoing does not reduce culpability.

What is the narrative situation?

A repeated/parallel line (as transmitted in this recension) reiterates that Mārīca and Subāhu act under Rāvaṇa’s instigation to spoil sacrifices.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral clarity—identifying the real instigator behind visible perpetrators.