Valmiki Ramayana 1.21.16: Bala Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 16

बालकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः · Daśaratha’s Promise, Vasiṣṭha’s Counsel, and Viśvāmitra’s Weapon

Lore

Spoken by Vasistha to King Daśaratha

Devanagari script

पञ्चाशतं सुतान् लेभे जया नाम परान् पुरा ।

वधायासुरसैन्यानाममेयान् कामरूपिणः ॥१६॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 1.21.16

Transliteration

pañcāśataṃ sutān lebhe jayā nāma parān purā |

vadhāyāsura-sainyānām ameyān kāma-rūpiṇaḥ ||16||

Translation

Thuở xưa, Jaya sinh được năm mươi người con ưu việt—oai lực vô lượng, tùy ý biến hóa—để diệt trừ các đạo quân của loài asura.

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Word by Word

• pañcāśatam: fifty
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañcāśat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• sutān: sons
• Type: Noun
• Root: suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• lebhe: obtained/bore
• Type: Verb
• Root: √labh (लभ्, धातु)
• Form: लिट्/परिपूर्णभूत (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada)
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• jayā: Jaya
• Type: Noun
• Root: jayā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• nāma: by name
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: नाम-शब्दः (indeclinable used for naming: 'by name')
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• parān: excellent/supreme
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम् to sutān
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• purā: formerly/once
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)

• vadhāya: for the destruction
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन (Singular); प्रयोजनार्थ (purpose)
• Role: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)

• asura-sainyānām: of the armies of asuras
• Type: Noun
• Root: asura (प्रातिपदिक) + sainya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive: 'of the asura-armies'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• ameyān: immeasurable
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ameya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम् to sutān
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• kāma-rūpiṇaḥ: able to assume forms at will
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: 'having form at will'); पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम् to sutān
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

Sandhi Notes

• वधायासुरसैन्यानाममेयान् = वधाय + असुरसैन्यानाम् + अमेयान् (अ + अ → आ)
• kāmarūpiṇaḥ here functions as accusative plural (kāmarūpiṇaḥ used for kāmarūpiṇaḥ/ kāmarūpinaḥ in some recensions)

Context

Formerly Jaya, for the destruction of the army of asuras gave birth to fifty sons by virtue of a boon. They possess immeasurable power of changing forms at will.

The teaching

When adharma organizes as oppressive force, sanctioned power may be employed to restore balance; intention and alignment with dharma are decisive.

Duties in tension

• Ahiṃsā (non-harm) vs kṣātra-dharma (necessary force to protect order)
• Protection of devas/cosmic order vs compassion toward enemies

Ethical theme

Rāja/kṣātra-dharma; protection of loka-saṅgraha

How it resolves

Dharma-yuddha justification (protective violence)

For your practice

For protective sādhanā, this supports visualization of dharma-aligned strength overcoming inner ‘asuric’ tendencies (anger, delusion).

Mood and themes

Rasa

Vira (heroism), with Raudra (fury)

Mood

Martial, unyielding, form-shifting

Themes

• Dharma
• Protection-of-world
• Itihasa
• Ethics

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Jaya
• Asuras

FAQs

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

Power is justified when oriented to protection against adharma: the capacity for destruction is framed as defensive—aimed at restraining hostile forces.

What is the narrative situation?

The genealogy continues, specifying Jaya’s fifty sons and their purpose against asuric forces.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Protective strength—might directed toward safeguarding cosmic order rather than personal gain.