Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 16, Shloka 9

पायसप्रादुर्भावः

The Manifestation of the Divine Payasa and the Avatara Resolution

Devanagari script

स चाप्यपुत्रो नृपतिस्तस्मिन्काले महाद्युति:।अयजत्पुत्रियामिष्टिं पुत्रेप्सुररिसूदन:।।।।

Transliteration

sa cāpy aputro nṛpatis tasmin kāle mahā-dyutiḥ | ayajat putriyām iṣṭiṁ putrepsur ari-sūdanaḥ ||

Translation

Bấy giờ, vị quốc vương rực rỡ ấy tuy chưa có con, vẫn cử hành lễ Putrakāmeṣṭi—nghi lễ cầu tự—mong được con nối dõi, Ngài vốn là bậc diệt trừ kẻ thù.

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); pronoun

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), additive/emphatic

• aputraḥ: sonless
• aputraḥ: Karta (कर्ता) [qualifier of nṛpatiḥ]
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-putra (प्रातिपदिक) [nañ-prefix]
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); negative adjective (नञ्)

• nṛpatiḥ: king
• nṛpatiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tasmin: in that
• tasmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) [time-location]
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative used adjectivally with kāle

• kāle: time
• kāle: Kāla-Adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• mahādyutiḥ: of great splendour
• mahādyutiḥ: Karta (कर्ता) [qualifier of nṛpatiḥ]
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā-dyuti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय: mahā + dyuti (‘great’ + ‘splendour’)

• ayajat: performed (a sacrifice)
• ayajat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yaj (यज् धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• putriyām: for obtaining sons
• putriyām: Karma (कर्म) [qualifier of iṣṭim]
• Type: Adjective
• Root: putriyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying iṣṭim

• iṣṭim: sacrifice/rite
• iṣṭim: Karma (कर्म) [object of ayajat]
• Type: Noun
• Root: iṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• putrepsuḥ: desiring sons
• putrepsuḥ: Karta (कर्ता) [qualifier of nṛpatiḥ]
• Type: Adjective
• Root: putra-īpsu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: putra + īpsu (‘desiring sons’)

• arisūdanaḥ: slayer of enemies
• arisūdanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) [qualifier of nṛpatiḥ]
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ari-sūdana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: ari + sūdana (‘enemy-slayer’)

Context

"O destroyer of foes! Lord Brahma was very pleased with Ravana's intense penance over a long time৷৷

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha

FAQs

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

Householder-dharma values continuity of lineage and responsibility; desires (like for children) are pursued through sanctioned, ethical means (yajña), not through coercion or adharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha, lacking sons, undertakes the son-bestowing sacrifice that will lead to the divine birth narrative.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Religious conscientiousness and lawful action—Daśaratha seeks a personal goal through dhārmic ritual observance.