भवानेव महीं कृत्स्नामेको रक्षितुमर्हति। न भूम्या कार्यमस्माकं न हि शक्तास्स्म पालने।।1.14.47।।
Meaning
"You alone are capable of protecting the whole earth; we have no use for land, nor are we capable of ruling it."
Word-by-word (pada-artha)
| Word | Devanagari | Meaning | Grammatical role |
|---|---|---|---|
| bhavān eva mahīm kṛtsnām | भवान् एव महीम् कृत्स्नाम् | you alone, the whole earth | Nominative singular |
| ekaḥ rakṣitum arhati | एकः रक्षितुम् अर्हति | are fit to protect, alone | Verb (present) |
| na bhūmyā kāryam asmākam | न भूम्या कार्यम् अस्माकम् | we have no need of land | Nominative singular |
| na hi śaktāḥ sma pālane | न हि शक्ताः स्म पालने | for we are not capable in ruling it | Nominative plural |
Scholar commentary
valmikiramayan.net Prose Commentary
Desiraju Hanumanta Rao's prose rendering with embedded explanatory notes
The source flags that silver is ordinarily prohibited as a ritual donation, but is acceptable here specifically because it is being given as barter in exchange for the land Dasharatha had earlier gifted the priests (and which they declined to keep) -- not as a direct ritual offering in its own right.
1 of 16 traditions have commentary on this shloka. Traditions without a verse-specific commentary here are omitted rather than filled in.
Reference: 1.14.47 · Bāla Kāṇḍa