Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 55, Shloka 21

कामधेनुसैन्यप्रादुर्भावः

Kamadhenu’s Forces, Visvamitra’s Austerities, and Vasishta’s Wrath

Devanagari script

ततो गत्वाऽऽश्रमपदं मुमोचास्त्राणि पार्थिव:।यैस्तत्तपोवनं सर्वं निर्दग्धं चास्त्रतेजसा।।1.55.21।।

Transliteration

tato gatvāśramapadaṃ mumocāstrāṇi pārthivaḥ |

yais tat tapovanaṃ sarvaṃ nirdagdhaṃ cāstratejasā || 1.55.21 ||

Translation

随后国王来到道场之地，放出诸般兵器；凭借其炽烈的兵器之光，整片苦行林都被焚尽。

Word by Word

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), temporal adverb (कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)

• gatvā: having gone
• gatvā: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (गम् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having gone’ (पूर्वकालिक क्रिया)

• āśramapadam: the hermitage-site
• āśramapadam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āśrama-pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/निर्धारणार्थ—‘आश्रमस्य पदम्’ (place of the hermitage)

• mumoca: released/let loose
• mumoca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muc (मुच् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• astrāṇi: weapons (missiles)
• astrāṇi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), बहुवचन

• pārthivaḥ: the king
• pārthivaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārthiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• yaiḥ: by which
• yaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; ‘by which (weapons)’

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘that’ (qualifying tapovanam)

• tapovanam: the ascetic grove
• tapovanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas-vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष—‘तपसः वनम्’ (forest of austerities/ascetics)

• sarvam: entire
• sarvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying tapovanam)

• nirdagdham: burnt down
• nirdagdham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-dah (दह् धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त, क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; here agreeing with tapovanam as predicate/result ‘burnt’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• astratejasā: by weapon-power
• astratejasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: astra-tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष—‘अस्त्रस्य तेजसा’ (by the power of the weapon)

Context

Thereafter king Viswamitra having proceeded towards the hermitage (of Vasishta) and released the weapons by the energy of which the entire forest of the ascetics was burnt down.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• tapovana

FAQs

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

Sacred spaces and communities devoted to tapas are to be protected; attacking an āśrama is a grave dharmic violation, showing how adharma begins with disrespect for the innocent.

What is the narrative situation?

Viśvāmitra physically advances to Vasiṣṭha’s hermitage and discharges astras, causing widespread destruction.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The narrative underscores the virtue of non-harm (ahiṃsā) and protection of the vulnerable—virtues that are being violated here.