Shloka 30

Agastya’s Instruction to Raghunātha (Rāma): Sin, Remorse, and the Aśvamedha Remedy

Devanagari script

शृणु राम महावीर लोकानुग्रहकारक । विप्रहत्यापनोदाय तव यद्वचनं ब्रुवे

Transliteration

śṛṇu rāma mahāvīra lokānugrahakāraka | viprahatyāpanodāya tava yadvacanaṃ bruve

Translation

اسمع يا راما، أيها البطل العظيم، يا مُحسن العوالم. ولإزالة إثم قتل البراهمة، سأخبرك بما ينبغي أن تنطق به من قول.

Word by Word

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• राम: O Rāma
• राम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• महावीर: O great hero
• महावीर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महावीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—महा + वीर (कर्मधारय)

• लोकानुग्रहकारक: O doer of the world's welfare
• लोकानुग्रहकारक: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + अनुग्रह + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—लोकानाम् अनुग्रहः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + कारक

• विप्रहत्यापनोदाय: for removing brahmin-slaying (sin)
• विप्रहत्यापनोदाय: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विप्रहत्या + अपनोद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तुमुन्/अर्थे—चतुर्थी-एकवचन (Dative) of 'अपनोद' used as प्रयोजन (purpose): 'for removal'; स्त्रीलिङ्ग 'विप्रहत्या' (ब्राह्मण-वध) + अपनोदाय

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-यत्

• वचनम्: statement/word
• वचनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ब्रुवे: I say/speak
• ब्रुवे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Unspecified (a narrator/teacher addressing Rāma in dialogue)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: लोकानुग्रहकारक = लोक + अनुग्रह + कारक (समास); विप्रहत्यापनोदाय = विप्रहत्या + अपनोदाय (आ + अ संधि/समास-सन्निकर्ष); यद्वचनं → यत् वचनम् (द् + व्)

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Brāhmaṇa (vipra)

FAQs

What is the central theme of this verse?

It introduces a teaching addressed to Rāma about prāyaścitta (atonement), specifically the removal of the grave sin called viprahatyā (killing a brāhmaṇa).

What does viprahatyā mean in Dharma literature?

Viprahatyā refers to the sin of killing a brāhmaṇa, traditionally treated as a major transgression (mahāpātaka) requiring serious expiation and moral restoration.

What ethical lesson does this dialogue framing convey?

Even a world-benefiting hero is expected to uphold dharma and address wrongdoing through prescribed repentance, emphasizing accountability and purification through right counsel and action.