Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 18, Shloka 30

शरणागति

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

Devanagari script

एवंदोषोमहानत्रप्रपन्नानामरक्षणे ।अस्वर्ग्यंचायशस्यंचबलवीर्यविनाशनम् ।।।।

Transliteration

evaṃ doṣo mahān atra prapannānām arakṣaṇe |

asvargyaṃ cāyaśasyaṃ ca balavīryavināśanam ||

Translation

Kaya nga, sa bagay na ito, ang hindi pagprotekta sa mga sumuko at humingi ng kanlungan ay isang malaking kasalanan: humahadlang ito sa langit, nagdudulot ng kasumpa-sumpang kahihiyan, at sumisira sa lakas at kagitingan.

Word by Word

• evam: thus/in this way
• evam: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• doṣaḥ: fault/sin
• doṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: doṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• mahān: great
• mahān: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘दोषः’

• atra: here/in this matter
• atra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• prapannānām: of the surrendered/refuge-seekers
• prapannānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prapanna (प्रातिपदिक; √pad with pra-, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘of those who have surrendered/sought refuge’

• arakṣaṇe: in failing to protect
• arakṣaṇe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-rakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘in non-protection/failure to protect’

• asvargyam: leading to no heaven
• asvargyam: Visheshana (विशेषण/Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-svargya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; predicate adjective to implied ‘(etat)’

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• ayaśasyam: bringing infamy
• ayaśasyam: Visheshana (विशेषण/Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-yaśasya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; predicate adjective

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• balavīryavināśanam: destruction of strength and valor
• balavīryavināśanam: Visheshya (विशेष्य/Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala-vīrya-vināśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (बलस्य च वीर्यस्य च विनाशनम्; internally dvandva ‘बल+वीर्य’ + tatpurusha with ‘विनाशन’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

Context

"One who resorts to failure in protecting a refugee, will be doing a great sin that way and will be shut out of heaven, be infamy and his strength and virility will be lost."

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• svarga (heaven)

FAQs

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

Protecting the surrendered (śaraṇāgata/prapanna) is a binding duty; neglecting it is a serious moral failure with spiritual and social consequences.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma is justifying why Vibhīṣaṇa (as a suppliant) must be protected and not abandoned.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s commitment to rajadharma—seeing protection of the vulnerable as central to righteous rule and personal honor.