Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 19, Shloka 16

विश्वामित्रस्य यज्ञरक्षा-याचना

Visvamitra Requests Rama for Yajna-Protection

Devanagari script

यदिह्यनुज्ञां काकुत्स्थ ददते तव मन्त्रिण:।।।।वसिष्ठप्रमुखा: सर्वे ततो रामं विसर्जय।

Transliteration

yad ihy anujñāṃ kākutstha dadate tava mantriṇaḥ |

vasiṣṭha-pramukhāḥ sarve tato rāmaṃ visarjaya ||

Translation

Hỡi Kakutstha, nếu các đại thần của ngài—tất cả đều do Vasiṣṭha đứng đầu—ban lời chuẩn thuận, thì khi ấy hãy cho Rāma lên đường.

Word by Word

• yat: if/that (which)
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun, Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; correlates with tato

• iha: here
• iha: Desha-adhikarana (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphatic/causal

• anujñām: permission / consent
• anujñām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anujñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• kākutstha: O Kakutstha
• kākutstha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kākutstha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th), Singular

• dadate: they give
• dadate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (दा धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Ātmanepada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• tava: your
• tava: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• mantriṇaḥ: ministers
• mantriṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantrin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• vasiṣṭha-pramukhāḥ: with Vasiṣṭha as chief
• vasiṣṭha-pramukhāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vasiṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + pramukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'vasiṣṭhaḥ pramukhaḥ yeṣām' (with Vasiṣṭha as foremost) used adjectivally for mantriṇaḥ

• sarve: all
• sarve: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; agrees with mantriṇaḥ

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kala-sambandha (काल-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (ततः), 'then/thereupon'

• rāmam: Rama
• rāmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• visarjaya: send forth / release
• visarjaya: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sṛj (सृज् धातु) + vi- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), Parasmaipada, 2nd person, Singular

Context

You should spare your dear son, the lotus-eyed Rama, impartial and detached, for ten nights.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• Daśaratha (Kākutstha)
• Rāma
• Vasiṣṭha
• mantriṇaḥ (counselors)

FAQs

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

Dharma is practiced with due process and respect for counsel: a king acts responsibly by aligning decisions with wise advisors and the family preceptor.

What is the narrative situation?

Viśvāmitra allows a procedural safeguard: Daśaratha may send Rāma after receiving consent from Vasiṣṭha and other counselors.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudence and respect for guru-guided counsel in royal decision-making.