Upanishads · Rāma-tāpanī Pūrva 4.15
॥
Devanāgarī
रामभद्र महेश्वास रघुवीर नृपोत्तम । भो दशास्यान्तकास्माकं रक्षां देहि श्रियं च ते
Transliteration (IAST)
rāmabhadra maheśvāsa raghuvīra nṛpottama | bho daśāsyāntakāsmākaṃ rakṣāṃ dehi śriyaṃ ca te
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
रामभद्र महेष्वासrāmabhadra maheṣvāsaO Rāmabhadra, great archer; gracious Rāma, mighty bowman
रघुवीर नृपोत्तमraghuvīra nṛpottamahero of Raghu, best of kings; champion of Raghu, first among rulers
भोः दशास्यान्तक अस्माकम्bhoḥ daśāsyāntaka asmākamO ender of the Ten-faced, to us; O crusher of the Ten-headed, for us
रक्षाम् देहि श्रियम् च तेrakṣām dehi śriyam ca tegive protection — and glory to thee; grant shelter, and thine be the majesty
Translation
O Rāmabhadra, great archer, hero of Raghu, best of kings! O ender of the Ten-faced, give us protection — and glory be to thee!
Version
9c575d35947f · published Jul 29, 2026, 5:15:19 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The praise passes from the third person to the second: till now the gods said “a bow to such-a-one”; now they say “give us”.
This change is no trifle. Names are listed while the praiser stands aside; one asks only of him to whom one has come near. And the book, it seems, deliberately sets the petition after four verses of magnifying: first learn who is before you, then ask.
The petition is one: rakṣāṁ dehi, “give protection”. Not riches, not victories — protection. And it is asked by the gods, that is, by those who themselves protect others.
In this is the salt of the whole scene. The celestials to whom men pray come to ask for the very thing men ask of them. And they come to Him who walks the earth as a man.
The address rāmabhadra — “Rāma the good” — stands in tradition oftener than any other; so He is called in the simplest prayers.
Note the last words too: śriyaṁ ca te, “and thine the glory”. The petition ends not with “to us” but with “to thee”; to receive protection and to render glory is one movement.