Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 20: Daśaratha Refuses to Give Rāma
Text 1.20.21
इत्युक्तो मुनिना तेन राजोवाच मुनिं तदा।
न हि शक्तोऽस्मि सङ्ग्रामे स्थातुं तस्य दुरात्मनः॥
ity ukto muninā tena rājovāca muniṁ tadā
na hi śakto ’smi saṅgrāme sthātuṁ tasya durātmanaḥ
iti = thus; uktaḥ = spoke; muninā = sage; tena = [when] the; rājā = the king; uvāca = told; munim tadā = the sage; na hi = not; śaktaḥ = capable; asmi = I am; saṅgrāme = in war; sthātum = of standing; tasya = against the; durātmanaḥ = evil-minded Rāvaṇa.
[When] the sage spoke thus, the king told the sage: I am not capable of standing in war against the evil-minded Rāvaṇa.