Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 18, Shloka 22

शरणागति

धर्मनिर्णयः (Decision on Refuge and Dharma) / Rama’s Vow of Protection and the Acceptance of Vibhishana

Devanagari script

पिशाचानदानवान् यक्ष I नपृथिव्यांचैवराक्षसान् ।अङ्गुल्यग्रेणतान् हन्यामिच्छन् हरिगणेश्वर ।।।।

Transliteration

piśācān dānavān yakṣān pṛthivyāṃ caiva rākṣasān | aṅgulyagreṇa tān hanyām icchan harigaṇeśvara || 6.18.22 ||

Translation

噢婆那罗众之主，若我愿意，仅以指尖便可灭尽在此大地游行的毗舍遮、达那婆、夜叉与罗刹。

Word by Word

• पिशाचान्: Piśācas
• पिशाचान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिशाच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Accusative plural)

• दानवान्: Dānavas
• दानवान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• यक्षान्: Yakṣas
• यक्षान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• पृथिव्याम्: on the earth
• पृथिव्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक (and)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारणार्थक (emphatic particle: indeed/just)

• राक्षसान्: Rakṣasas
• राक्षसान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• अङ्गुल्यग्रेण: with the tip of (my) finger
• अङ्गुल्यग्रेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गुलि-अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: अङ्गुल्याः अग्रं (tip of a finger)

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• हन्याम्: I could kill
• हन्याम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद; अर्थः: "I could/should kill"

• इच्छन्: wishing
• इच्छन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (describing the subject "I")

• हरिगणेश्वर: O lord of the Vanara troop
• हरिगणेश्वर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि-गण-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: हरिगणस्य ईश्वरः (lord of the monkey-troop)

Context

"O leader of the Vanara troop If I so desire, I can kill with the tip of my big finger the devils, Danavas, Yakshas and the Rakshasas on this earth."

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sugrīva
• piśāca
• dānava
• yakṣa
• rākṣasa
• earth (pṛthivī)

FAQs

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

Might is not the measure of dharma: Rāma highlights his power to show that his later choice (to protect/refuse cruelty) is principled, not compelled.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma reassures Sugrīva that hostile beings are not a true threat to him, establishing moral freedom in decision-making.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-restraint—possessing immense strength yet choosing to act by righteousness rather than impulse.