Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 18, Shloka 33

शरणागति

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

Devanagari script

अनयैनंहरिश्रेष्ठ: दत्तमस्याभयंमया ।विभीषणोवासुग्रीव: यदिवारावणस्स्वयम् ।।।।

Transliteration

ānayainaṃ hariśreṣṭha dattam asyābhayaṃ mayā |

vibhīṣaṇo vā sugrīva yadi vā rāvaṇaḥ svayam ||

Translation

Dalhin siya rito, O pinakamainam sa mga vānara; ipinagkaloob ko na sa kanya ang kaligtasan. Maging si Vibhīṣaṇa man, O Sugrīva—o kahit si Rāvaṇa mismo.

Word by Word

• ānaya: bring (him)
• ānaya: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√nī (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• enam: him/this one
• enam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• hariśreṣṭha: O best of monkeys
• hariśreṣṭha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari-śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (हरिणां श्रेष्ठः); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• dattam: given
• dattam: Kriya (क्रिया; predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; predicate: ‘has been given’

• asya: of him/to him
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• abhayam: safety
• abhayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; object/complement with ‘दत्तम्’

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karana (करण/Instrument; agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• vibhīṣaṇaḥ: Vibhīṣaṇa
• vibhīṣaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; option in coordination)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhīṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

• sugrīvaḥ: Sugrīva
• sugrīvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; option in coordination)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sugrīva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• yadi: if
• yadi: Hetu/Upapatti (हेतु/Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्त (conditional particle ‘if’)

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

• rāvaṇaḥ: Rāvaṇa
• rāvaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; option in coordination)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• svayam: himself
• svayam: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मवाचक (reflexive adverb ‘himself’)

Context

"O best of Vanaras Sugriva Either Vibheeshana or any one by himself and even Ravana who is unprotected thus seeks security from me, I will offer protection."

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sugrīva
• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma is impartial: the vow of protection applies even to an enemy if he truly seeks refuge.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma instructs Sugrīva to bring the suppliant in, declaring that asylum has already been granted.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fair-mindedness and steadfastness—Rāma does not tailor dharma to convenience or hostility.