कृतास्त्रमकृतास्त्रं वा नैनं शक्ष्यन्ति राक्षसा:। गुप्तं कुशिकपुत्रेण ज्वलनेनामृतं यथा।।1.21.9।।
Meaning
"Whether trained in weapons or not, the rakshasas cannot harm him, guarded by Kaushika as nectar is guarded by fire."
Word-by-word (pada-artha)
| Word | Devanagari | Meaning | Grammatical role |
|---|---|---|---|
| kṛta-astram akṛta-astram vā | कृत-अस्त्रम् अकृत-अस्त्रम् वा | whether trained in weapons or untrained | Accusative singular |
| na enam śakṣyanti rākṣasāḥ | न एनम् शक्ष्यन्ति राक्षसाः | the demons will not be able [to harm] him | Verb (future, negated) |
| guptam kuśika-putreṇa | गुप्तम् कुशिक-पुत्रेण | protected by the son of Kushika | Accusative singular |
| jvalanena amṛtam yathā | ज्वलनेन अमृतम् यथा | as ambrosia [is protected] by fire | Comparative clause |
Scholar commentary
valmikiramayan.net Prose Commentary
Desiraju Hanumanta Rao's prose rendering with embedded explanatory notes
The source explains the simile behind Vashishtha's reassurance: in heavenly mythology, an unapproachable firewall surrounds the vessel of ambrosia (amrita) to protect it from theft by demons -- Vashishtha's point being that Vishvamitra's protection over Rama would be just as impenetrable, regardless of whether Rama himself is yet trained in weaponry.
1 of 16 traditions have commentary on this shloka. Traditions without a verse-specific commentary here are omitted rather than filled in.
Reference: 1.21.9 · Bāla Kāṇḍa