Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 2, Shloka 36

द्वितीयः सर्गः — श्लोकप्रादुर्भावः

The Manifestation of the Śloka

Devanagari script

यावत् स्थास्यन्ति गिरयस्सरितश्च महीतले ।

तावद्रामायणकथा लोकेषु प्रचरिष्यति ।।1.2.36।।

Transliteration

yāvat sthāsyanti girayaḥ saritaś ca mahītale | tāvad rāmāyaṇa-kathā lokeṣu pracariṣyati || 1.2.36 ||

Translation

Solange Berge und Flüsse auf der Erde bestehen, so lange wird die Erzählung des Rāmāyaṇa in den Welten umhergehen.

Word by Word

• यावत्: as long as
• यावत्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (सम्बन्ध-परिमाण/काल-पर्यन्तार्थक indeclinable; correlative with तावत्)

• स्थास्यन्ति: will remain/exist
• स्थास्यन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future/भविष्यत्काल), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• गिरयः: mountains
• गिरयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• सरितः: rivers
• सरितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (सरित्-शब्दः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/Conjunction)

• महीतले: on the surface of the earth
• महीतले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: मही + तल

• तावत्: so long/till then
• तावत्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tāvat (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (तावत्-पर्यन्त/so long; correlative with यावत्)

• रामायणकथा: the story of the Rāmāyaṇa
• रामायणकथा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रामायण + कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: रामायणस्य कथा

• लोकेषु: in the worlds/among people
• लोकेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• प्रचरिष्यति: will spread/prevail
• प्रचरिष्यति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + चर् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future/भविष्यत्काल), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Context

Not even a single word of yours in this epic will ever prove untruthful. Compose this sacred, delightful story of Rama, set in the form of slokas.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Vālmīki
• earth (mahītala)
• mountains (girayaḥ)
• rivers (saritaḥ)

FAQs

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

Dharma is portrayed as enduring instruction: a truthful dharma-narrative becomes a long-lasting guide for society, persisting as long as the natural world endures.

What is the narrative situation?

Brahmā foretells the lasting fame and circulation of Vālmīki’s Ramāyaṇa.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The civilizational value of preserving dharma through truthful literature (kāvya as ethical memory).