Valmiki Ramayana 1.2.31: Bala Kanda, Sarga 2, Shloka 31

द्वितीयः सर्गः — श्लोकप्रादुर्भावः

The Manifestation of the Śloka

Devanagari script

मच्छन्दादेव ते ब्रह्मन् प्रवृत्तेयं सरस्वती ।रामस्य चरितं सर्वं कुरु त्वमृषिसत्तम ।।1.2.31।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 1.2.31

Transliteration

macchandād eva te brahman pravṛtteyaṃ sarasvatī | rāmasya caritaṃ sarvaṃ kuru tvam ṛṣi-sattama || 1.2.31 ||

Translation

O Brahmarṣi, aus meinem eigenen Willen ist Sarasvatī, die heilige Rede, in dir erwacht; darum, o bester der Seher, verfasse die ganze Geschichte Rāmas.

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Word by Word

• mat-chandāt: from my will
• mat-chandāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (प्रातिपदिक) + chanda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘mama chandaḥ’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग) as ‘chandas’ here in sense ‘will’

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, emphatic particle (अवधारण)

• te: for you/to you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• brahman: O Brahman (sage)
• brahman: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• pravṛttā: set in motion/arisen
• pravṛttā: Karta (कर्ता) [qualifier]
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-vṛt (धातु) → kta (क्त) / PPP used adjectivally
• Form: Bhūta-kṛdanta, kta; Feminine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with ‘sarasvatī’

• iyam: this
• iyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• sarasvatī: Sarasvatī / speech
• sarasvatī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarasvatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• rāmasya: of Rāma
• rāmasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• caritam: deeds/life-story
• caritam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: carita (प्रातिपदिक; kta from √car used as noun)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• sarvam: entire
• sarvam: Karma (कर्म) [qualifier]
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; agrees with ‘caritam’

• kuru: compose/make
• kuru: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (लोट्, Imperative), Parasmaipada, Madhyama-puruṣa (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Nominative, Singular

• ṛṣi-sattama: O best of sages
• ṛṣi-sattama: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक) + sattama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) ‘sattamaḥ ṛṣiḥ’; Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Context

"O!Brahmarshi, at my will, this speech had originated from you. Most excellent ascetic, compose the history of Rama in its entirety (in this metre).

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Sarasvatī (speech/goddess)
• Vālmīki
• Rāma

FAQs

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

Dharma is the responsible transmission of truth: Vālmīki is charged to preserve and communicate Rāma’s dharma-centered life as an authoritative itihāsa.

What is the narrative situation?

Brahmā explains that Vālmīki’s poetic speech is divinely impelled and instructs him to compose Rāma’s full account.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vālmīki’s vocation as a truthful composer (kavi/ṛṣi) entrusted with sacred history.