Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 20: Daśaratha Refuses to Give Rāma
Text 1.20.25
कथमप्यमरप्रख्यं सङ्ग्रामानामकोविदम्।
बालं मे तनयं ब्रह्मन्नैव दास्यामि पुत्रकम्॥
kathamapy amara-prakhyaṁ saṅgrāmānām akovidam
bālaṁ me tanayaṁ brahman naiva dāsyāmi putrakam
katham api = under any circumstance, [for though]; amara-prakhyam = He resembles an immortal; saṅgrāmānām = in war [with the rākṣasas]; akovidam = he is inexperienced; bālam = and He is a [mere] boy; me = my; tanayam = son; brahman = O brāhmaṇa; na eva = never; dāsyāmi = I will give; putrakam = and a child.
O brāhmaṇa I will never give my son under any circumstance, [for though] He resembles an immortal, He is inexperienced in war [with the rākṣasas] and He is a [mere] boy and a child.