Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 3

बालकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः

Daśaratha’s Promise, Vasiṣṭha’s Counsel, and Viśvāmitra’s Weapon-Lore

Devanagari script

यदीदं ते क्षमं राजन् गमिष्यामि यथाऽगतम्।मिथ्याप्रतिज्ञ: काकुत्स्थ सुखीभव सबान्धव:।।।।

Transliteration

yad idaṃ te kṣamaṃ rājan gamiṣyāmi yathāgatam |

mithyā-pratijñaḥ kākutstha sukhī bhava sabāndhavaḥ ||

Translation

Nếu điều này hợp ý bệ hạ, tâu Đại vương, thì thần xin ra đi như lúc đã đến. Hỡi hậu duệ Kakutstha, đã khiến lời thệ nguyện hóa hư, xin cứ an vui cùng toàn thể quyến thuộc.

Word by Word

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/condition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Conditional particle (शर्त-अव्यय)

• idam: this
• idam: Karta (कर्ता; subject of kṣamam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• te: to you
• te: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/to you)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; enclitic form

• kṣamam: acceptable / proper
• kṣamam: Visheshana (विशेषण/predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; predicate adjective with idam

• rājan: O king
• rājan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• gamiṣyāmi: I shall go
• gamiṣyāmi: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: Future (लृट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular; parasmaipada

• yathā-āgatam: as I came / back the way I came
• yathā-āgatam: Kala/Desha (क्रम/रीति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + āgata (कृदन्त; √gam क्त)
• Form: Avyayībhāva compound functioning adverbially; indeclinable sense: 'as (I) came'

• mithyā-pratijñaḥ: false to (your) promise
• mithyā-pratijñaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण; addressing/qualifying)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mithyā (अव्यय) + pratijña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; कर्मधारयः: 'false (as) a promiser'

• kākutstha: O Kākutstha
• kākutstha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kākutstha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• sukhī-bhava: be happy
• sukhī-bhava: Kriya (क्रिया/command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sukhī (प्रातिपदिक) + √bhū (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular; parasmaipada; denominative-style predicate 'be happy'

• sa-bāndhavaḥ: together with (your) relatives
• sa-bāndhavaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण; qualifier of implied 'tvam')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + bāndhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; सह-तत्पुरुषः (बान्धवैः सह)

Context

Such is the prowess of Viswamitra who is a highly effulgent and highly renowned sage. O King! in sending Rama, you need not entertain any doubt.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• Daśaratha
• Kakutstha (Ikṣvāku lineage)

FAQs

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

A vow must not be emptied of truth. The verse underscores that social and royal dharma collapse when a spoken commitment is treated as optional.

What is the narrative situation?

Viśvāmitra, offended by Daśaratha’s wavering, declares he will leave, explicitly calling the king ‘false to his promise.’

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Accountability to one’s word—especially for rulers whose promises function as public guarantees.