Valmiki Ramayana 1.21.20: Bala Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 20

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

Lore

Spoken by Vasistha to King DaśarathaSetting: AyodhyāPre-departure negotiation in court

Devanagari script

तेषां निग्रहणे शक्तस्स्वयं च कुशिकात्मजः ।

तव पुत्रहितार्थाय त्वामुपेत्याभियाचते ॥२०॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 1.21.20

Transliteration

teṣāṃ nigrahaṇe śaktaḥ svayaṃ ca kuśikātmajaḥ |

tava putra-hitārthāya tvām upetyābhiyācate ||20||

Translation

Dẫu chính con của Kuśika tự mình đủ sức chế phục bọn ấy, Ngài vẫn đến cầu thỉnh nơi bệ hạ—chỉ vì lợi ích và phúc lành cho hoàng tử của người.

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Word by Word

• teṣām: of them
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun); पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (m./n.), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)

• nigrahaṇe: in restraining/subduing
• Type: Noun
• Root: nigrahaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (m./n.), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)

• śaktaḥ: capable
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakta (प्रातिपदिक; PPP from √śak)
• Form: कृत्-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP); पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• svayam: himself
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: स्वयम्-शब्दः (indeclinable: 'himself')
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• kuśika-ātmajaḥ: the son of Kuśika (Viśvāmitra)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuśika (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• tava: your
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)

• putra-hita-arthāya: for your son's welfare
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक) + hita (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative chain: 'for the purpose of the son's welfare'); पुंलिङ्ग (m.), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• tvām: you
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• upetya: having approached
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-√i (इ, धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having first reached)
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया-विशेषणम्)

• abhiyācate: requests/begs
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√yāc (याच्, धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada)
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

Sandhi Notes

• त्वामुपेत्याभियाचते = त्वाम् + उपेत्य + अभियाचते (म् + उ → म; य + अ → या)

Context

Son of Kusika, even though capable of repressing those rakhsasas by himself, it is for the welfare of your son that he is here requesting you to spare him".

The teaching

Even when one can act alone, requesting rightful cooperation can serve another’s growth and welfare.

Duties in tension

• Daśaratha’s duty to safeguard his heir
• Duty to support a sage’s dharmic work (yajña-rakṣā)
• Duty to promote the son’s long-term kṣatriya formation

Ethical theme

Rāja-dharma / hita-nīti

How it resolves

Appeal to welfare (hita) and dharmic purpose

For your practice

Frames service to dharma as a blessing for the disciple; encourages seeing difficult duties as grace.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shanta (peace), with Vira (heroism)

Mood

Persuasive, benevolent, duty-minded

Themes

• Dharma
• Protection
• Upaya (skillful means)
• Rajadharma
• Ethics
• Itihasa

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Daśaratha
• Viśvāmitra
• Kuśika
• Rāma
• Rakṣasas

FAQs

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

Dharma includes forming the next protector of order. The request is framed not as Viśvāmitra’s need, but as Rāma’s welfare—training aligned with righteous purpose.

What is the narrative situation?

Vasiṣṭha explains that Viśvāmitra’s request for Rāma is intentional: it serves Rāma’s development while addressing the rakṣasa threat.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Viśvāmitra’s foresight and benevolence—guiding a prince into dharmic responsibility rather than merely solving a problem alone.