Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 18, Shloka 32

शरणागति

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

Devanagari script

सकृदेवप्रपन्नायतवास्मीतिचयाचते ।अभयंसर्वभूतेभ्योददाम्येतद्व्रतंमम ।।।।

Transliteration

sakṛd eva prapannāya tavāsmīti ca yācate |

abhayaṃ sarvabhūtebhyo dadāmy etad vrataṃ mama ||

Translation

凡有人哪怕只一次前来归依，恳求道：“我属于你”，我便赐予他对一切众生的无畏——此乃我的誓愿。

Word by Word

• sakṛt: once
• sakṛt: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sakṛt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/परिमाणवाचक (once)

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis particle)

• prapannāya: to one who has surrendered
• prapannāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prapanna (प्रातिपदिक; √pad with pra-, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• tava: your/of you
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• asmi: I am
• asmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• iti: thus
• iti: Vakya-prayojaka (वाक्यप्रयोजक/Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यादि-निदर्शक (quotative particle)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• yācate: begs/requests
• yācate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yāc (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• abhayam: fearlessness/safety
• abhayam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• sarvabhūtebhyaḥ: from all beings
• sarvabhūtebhyaḥ: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva-bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मधारय (सर्वाणि भूतानि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन

• dadāmi: I give
• dadāmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• etat: this
• etat: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘व्रतम्’

• vratam: vow
• vratam: Karma (कर्म/Object; ‘I give/declare this vow’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

Context

"I will provide protection from all living beings for the one who seeks protection from me and begs in this way. This is my vow."

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• sarvabhūta (all beings)

FAQs

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

Absolute protection to the one who surrenders: once refuge is sought sincerely, granting safety (abhaya) becomes a sacred obligation.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma publicly declares his universal rule of asylum while deciding Vibhīṣaṇa’s case.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reliability and compassion—Rāma’s promise is unconditional and meant to remove fear.