Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 75, Shloka 14

जामदग्न्य

रामसंवादः — Parashurama Confronts Rama with the Vaishnava Bow

Devanagari script

तदा तु देवतास्सर्वा: पृच्छन्ति स्म पितामहम्।शितिकण्ठस्य विष्णोश्च बलाबलनिरीक्षया।।।।

Transliteration

tadā tu devatāḥ sarvāḥ pṛcchanti sma pitāmaham | śitikaṇṭhasya viṣṇoś ca balābala-nirīkṣayā || 1.75.14 ||

Translation

Bấy giờ, hết thảy chư Thiên đều đến thưa hỏi Đấng Tổ Phụ Phạm Thiên (Brahmā), để xét định sức mạnh và chỗ yếu kém giữa Śitikaṇṭha (Śiva, Đấng Cổ Xanh) và Viṣṇu.

Word by Word

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक अव्यय)

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• devatāḥ: the deities
• devatāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• sarvāḥ: all
• sarvāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adjective (विशेषण), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• pṛcchanti: ask, inquire
• pṛcchanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prach (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्/Present), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• sma: (indeed/then)
• sma: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sma (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) indicating past narration with present form

• pitāmaham: the Grandsire (Brahmā)
• pitāmaham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitāmaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• śitikaṇṭhasya: of Śitikaṇṭha (blue-throated Śiva)
• śitikaṇṭhasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śitikaṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) epithet; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• viṣṇoḥ: of Viṣṇu
• viṣṇoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• balābala-nirīkṣayā: for examining strength and weakness
• balābala-nirīkṣayā: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक) + abala (प्रातिपदिक) + nirīkṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

Context

Then all the gods in order to ascertain the strength and weakness of Siva and Visnu enquired of the Grandsire, Brahma:

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Brahmā (Pitāmaha)
• Śiva (Śitikaṇṭha)
• Viṣṇu

FAQs

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

Dharma values disciplined inquiry: even gods seek an impartial authority (Brahmā) to evaluate power, implying that judgment should be grounded in truth-seeking rather than faction.

What is the narrative situation?

Paraśurāma recounts how the gods approached Brahmā to understand the comparative might of Śiva and Viṣṇu.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Commitment to discernment (viveka): the divine assembly does not assume but investigates through a recognised adjudicator.