Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 7, Shloka 19

अमात्य-गुणवर्णनम्

The Virtues of Daśaratha’s Ministers and the Order of Governance

Devanagari script

अवेक्षमाणश्चारेण प्रजा धर्मेण रञ्जयन् ।प्रजानां पालनं कुर्वन्नधर्मान्परिवर्जयन् ।।।।विश्रुतस्त्रिषु लोकेषु वदान्यस्सत्यसङ्गर: ।स तत्र पुरुषव्याघ्रश्शशास पृथिवीमिमाम् ।।।।

Transliteration

avekṣamāṇaś cāreṇa prajā dharmeṇa rañjayan |

prajānāṃ pālanaṃ kurvann adharmān parivarjayan ||

viśrutas triṣu lokeṣu vadānyaḥ satyasaṅgaraḥ |

sa tatra puruṣavyāghraḥ śaśāsa pṛthivīm imām ||

Translation

他借由密探巡察，护持百姓，以正法（dharma）使民欢悦，远离非法（adharma）。在三界中以慷慨与坚守真实而闻名的那位人中之虎，于阿逾陀以合乎正法之道统御此大地。

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• अध्यगच्छत्: found/met
• अध्यगच्छत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-√गम् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• विशिष्टम्: superior
• विशिष्टम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from √शिष्/√शास् with वि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying शत्रुम्)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

• तुल्यम्: equal
• तुल्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying शत्रुम्)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• शत्रुम्: an enemy
• शत्रुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म

• आत्मनः: for himself/of himself
• आत्मनः: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (for/of himself)

• मित्रवान्: having friends
• मित्रवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मित्रवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive)

• नतसामन्तः: with feudatories subdued
• नतसामन्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नत-सामन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण; 'नताः सामन्ताः यस्य/यत्र' (humbled feudatories)

• प्रतापहतकण्टकः: whose thorns (enemies) were destroyed by valor
• प्रतापहतकण्टकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रताप-हत-कण्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (thorn=enemies)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शशास: ruled
• शशास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शास् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• जगद्राजा: king of the world
• जगद्राजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत्-राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपाधि (epithet)

• दिवम्: heaven
• दिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (द्यौः), द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म (object of implied comparison: ruled heaven)

• देवपतिः: lord of gods (Indra)
• देवपतिः: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपमेय/उपमानसंबन्ध (Indra)

• यथा: as/like
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/comparison)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle: as/like)

Context

Accompanied by the ministers who were devoted to his welfare, adept in counselling, skilful, capable and loyal towards him, the king acquired glory like the rising Sun with luminous rays.ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē bālakāṇḍē saptamassarga: ৷৷Thus ends the seventh sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• three worlds (trailokya)
• earth (pṛthivī)

FAQs

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

A king’s dharma is protective and moral: he must safeguard subjects (pālana), promote righteous living (dharmeṇa rañjayan), and actively avoid adharma; satya (truth) is presented as a binding vow of leadership.

What is the narrative situation?

The narration praises Daśaratha’s rule—his surveillance for security, his commitment to righteous administration, and his fame for generosity and truth.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Satyaniṣṭhā (steadfastness in truth) coupled with protective governance and the rejection of adharma.