Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 16, Shloka 1

पायसप्रादुर्भावः

The Manifestation of the Divine Payasa and the Avatara Resolution

Devanagari script

ततो नारायणो देवो नियुक्तस्सुरसत्तमै:।जानन्नपि सुरानेवं श्लक्ष्णं वचनमब्रवीत्।।।।

Transliteration

tato nārāyaṇo devo niyuktaḥ surasattamaiḥ |

jānann api surān evaṃ ślakṣṇaṃ vacanam abravīt ||1.16.1||

Translation

于是天神那罗延，应诸天中最尊者之请；虽早已洞悉其事，仍以柔和之语对众天说道。

Word by Word

• upāyaḥ: means/strategy
• upāyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) — subject of implied ‘asti/bhavet’ in question
• Type: Noun
• Root: upāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• kaḥ: what?/which?
• kaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) — predicate interrogative
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative pronoun, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• vadhe: in (his) killing
• vadhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (सप्तमी), Singular; viṣaya/adhikaraṇa ‘in the matter of killing’

• tasya: of that (one)/his
• tasya: Śeṣa (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Masculine, Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular

• rāvaṇasya: of Rāvaṇa
• rāvaṇasya: Śeṣa (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular; in apposition with 'tasya'

• durātmanaḥ: of the evil-minded
• durātmanaḥ: Śeṣa (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध) — adjectival
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya ‘durātmā’; Masculine, Genitive, Singular; viśeṣaṇa of 'rāvaṇasya'

• yam: which (means)
• yam: Karma (कर्म) — object of 'samāsthāya' (adopting which)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun, Masculine, Accusative, Singular; correlates with implied ‘tam’/‘tena’ sense

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative, Singular

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म) — object of 'nihanyām'
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• samāsthāya: having adopted
• samāsthāya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (स्था धातु) with sam-ā-
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), ‘having resorted to/adopted’

• nihanyām: I would kill / I should kill
• nihanyām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √han (हन् धातु) with ni-
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, Uttama-puruṣa (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular; potential/intention

• ṛṣi-kaṇṭakam: thorn to the sages
• ṛṣi-kaṇṭakam: Karma (कर्म) — appositional to object
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक) + kaṇṭaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa ‘ṛṣīṇāṃ kaṇṭakaḥ’; Masculine, Accusative, Singular; apposition to 'tam'

Context

Although Omniscient lord Narayana knew the means to be employed, when he was requested by the best of devatas he spoke to them softly:

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Devas

FAQs

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

True authority expresses itself with gentleness and clarity; dharma-oriented leadership responds to suffering without harshness, even when the solution is already known.

What is the narrative situation?

After the gods’ appeal, Nārāyaṇa is approached and he responds calmly, initiating the divine plan that will culminate in incarnation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Compassionate speech and composure—responding to crisis with measured, soothing counsel.