Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 76, Shloka 7

बालकाण्डे षट्सप्ततितमः सर्गः

Rāma Subdues Paraśurāma; the Vaiṣṇava Arrow Is Discharged

Devanagari script

इमां पादगतिं राम तपोबलसमार्जिताम्।लोकानप्रतिमान्वा ते हनिष्यामि यदिच्छसि ।।।।

Transliteration

imāṃ pāda-gatiṃ rāma tapo-bala-samārjitām |

lokān apratimān vā te haniṣyāmi yadi icchasi ||

Translation

但我不会让这毗湿奴的力量白费：我要么摧毁你的移动能力，要么摧毁你通过苦行赢得的无与伦比的世界——告诉我你选择哪一个。

Word by Word

• imām: this
• imām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular; demonstrative used adjectivally

• pāda-gatim: foot-course / movement
• pāda-gatim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक) + gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular; tatpuruṣa: pādasya gatiḥ = 'movement/way of the feet'

• rāma: O Rāma
• rāma: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular (addressing Paraśurāma)

• tapas-bala-samārjitām: earned by ascetic power
• tapas-bala-samārjitām: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक) + sam-√arj (धातु)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular; multi-member tatpuruṣa; past participle (क्त) samārjita 'acquired' with instrumental sense: tapasā balena samārjitā

• lokān: worlds
• lokān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• apratimān: incomparable
• apratimān: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-pratimāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural; agrees with lokān

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्प)

• te: your
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• haniṣyāmi: I shall destroy
• haniṣyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √han (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ-lakāra (लुट्/Periphrastic Future), Parasmaipada, 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular

• yat: whatever (which)
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; correlates with implied 'tat' (whichever)

• icchasi: you desire
• icchasi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √iṣ (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present), Parasmaipada, 2nd person, Singular

Context

I shall destroy your mobility, O Parasurama! or the higher worlds earned through your matchless asceteic energy. Tell me which one you choose.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (Dāśarathi)
• Paraśurāma
• tapas (austerity)

FAQs

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

Dharma is proportionality: Rāma refuses lethal harm yet insists that a divine weapon must not be rendered futile; the consequence is redirected into a non-lethal but decisive curbing of pride and power.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma holds a divine missile that cannot be wasted; he offers Paraśurāma a choice regarding what should be nullified—his movement/initiative or his ascetically earned heavenly attainments.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Viveka (discernment) and niyama (controlled action): power is applied with ethical limits.