Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 2, Shloka 41

द्वितीयः सर्गः — श्लोकप्रादुर्भावः

The Manifestation of the Śloka

Devanagari script

तस्य बुद्धिरियं जाता वाल्मीकेर्भावितात्मन: ।कृत्स्नं रामायणं काव्यमीदृशै: करवाण्यहम् ।।1.2.41।।

Transliteration

tasya buddhir iyaṁ jātā vālmīker bhāvitātmanaḥ |

kṛtsnaṁ rāmāyaṇaṁ kāvyam īdṛśaiḥ karavāṇy aham ||1.2.41||

Translation

Da fasste Vālmīki, der in sich gesammelte und geistig gefestigte Weise, diesen Entschluss: „Das ganze Epos namens Rāmāyaṇa will ich in eben diesem Versmaß dichten.“

Word by Word

• tasya: of him (of that sage)
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (6th/षष्ठी), Ekavacana; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• buddhiḥ: thought/idea
• buddhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• iyam: this
• iyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; विशेषण—‘buddhiḥ’

• jātā: arose/was born
• jātā: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jan (जन्) + kta (क्त) → jāta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Kta-participle used predicatively; Strīliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; ‘arose/was born’ agreeing with ‘buddhiḥ’

• vālmīkeḥ: of Vālmīki
• vālmīkeḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vālmīki (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (6th), Ekavacana; ‘of Vālmīki’ appositional with ‘tasya’

• bhāvitātmanaḥ: of the self-disciplined one
• bhāvitātmanaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhāvita-ātman (प्रातिपदिक; bhāvita = √bhū/√bhāv + kta; ātman = noun)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (6th), Ekavacana; विशेषण—‘vālmīkeḥ’; अर्थः—‘whose self is cultivated/controlled’

• kṛtsnam: entire/complete
• kṛtsnam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛtsna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; विशेषण—‘kāvyam’

• rāmāyaṇam: the Rāmāyaṇa
• rāmāyaṇam: Karma (कर्म) (object as apposition to ‘kāvyam’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāmāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; नाम (title) used appositionally with ‘kāvyam’

• kāvyam: poem/epic
• kāvyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāvya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; कर्म—‘karavāṇi’

• īdṛśaiḥ: with such (as these)
• īdṛśaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: īdṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/Napuṃsakaliṅga (contextual), Tṛtīyā (3rd), Bahuvacana; साधन—‘with such (metres/lines)’

• karavāṇi: may I compose
• karavāṇi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ) (धातु)
• Form: Liṅ-lakāra (Optative/विधिलिङ्), Uttama-puruṣa (1st person/उत्तम), Ekavacana; parasmaipada; अर्थः—‘may I compose/do’

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; कर्ता

Context

A thought occurred to Valmiki, who is capable of putting thoughts into action "I shall compose the epic named Ramayana entirely in this metre".

Characters & Entities

• Vālmīki
• Rāmāyaṇa
• kāvya

FAQs

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

Dharma is expressed as purposeful authorship: using one’s gifts to preserve truthful history and teach righteousness. The resolve is to serve society through a disciplined, accurate narrative.

What is the narrative situation?

After the emergence and validation of the śloka form, Vālmīki forms the intention to compose the full Rāmāyaṇa in that very metre.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfast resolve (dṛḍha-saṅkalpa) and capability (bhāvitātman): the ability to turn insight into sustained, constructive work.