Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 1, Shloka 4

श्रीमद्रामायणकथासङ्क्षेपः / The Ramayana in Synopsis

Narada’s Summary to Valmiki

Devanagari script

आत्मवान्को जितक्रोधो द्युतिमान्कोऽनसूयक: ।कस्य बिभ्यति देवाश्च जातरोषस्य संयुगे ।।।।

Transliteration

ātmavān ko jitakrodho dyutimān ko ’nasūyakaḥ |

kasya bibhyati devāś ca jātarōṣasya saṃyuge ||

Translation

Who is self-possessed? Who has conquered anger? Who is radiant and free from envy? And whose wrath, once aroused in battle, makes even the gods afraid?

Word by Word

• आत्मवान्: self-possessed/self-controlled
• आत्मवान्: कर्तृसम्बन्धी विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• कः: who?
• कः: कर्ता
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• जितक्रोधः: one who has conquered anger
• जितक्रोधः: कर्तृसम्बन्धी विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित (यि/जि धातु + क्त) + क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: 'anger conquered'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• द्युतिमान्: splendid/radiant
• द्युतिमान्: कर्तृसम्बन्धी विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्युतिमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• कः: who?
• कः: कर्ता
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अनसूयकः: free from envy
• अनसूयकः: कर्तृसम्बन्धी विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनसूयक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• कस्य: of whom/whose
• कस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• बिभ्यति: fear/are afraid
• बिभ्यति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भी (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• जातरोषस्य: of one whose wrath has arisen
• जातरोषस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जात (जन् धातु + क्त) + रोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: 'wrath arisen'); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying 'कस्य')

• संयुगे: in battle
• संयुगे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयुग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

Context

Who (among men) is self-restrained? Who has conquered anger? Who is endowed with brilliance and free from envy? Who is that when exited to wrath even the devatas, are afraid of (let alone foes)?

Characters & Entities

• Devas (gods)
• Nārada (implied as speaker)
• Vālmīki (implied as recipient)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

The dharmic ideal integrates inner discipline (self-control, freedom from envy) with righteous strength: power is legitimate when governed by restraint and moral clarity.

What is the narrative situation?

At the opening of the epic, Nārada asks Vālmīki to identify a person who embodies the highest virtues—setting up Rāma as the exemplar.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Mastery of anger and envy alongside radiance and formidable righteous strength—an ethical ideal rather than mere martial prowess.