Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 23, Shloka 4

कामाश्रम

प्रवेशः / Entry into Kāma’s Hermitage at the Sarayū–Gaṅgā Confluence

Devanagari script

कृताह्निकौ महावीर्यौ विश्वामित्रं तपोधनम्।अभिवाद्याभिसंहृष्टौ गमनायाभितस्थतु:।।।।

Transliteration

kṛtāhnikau mahāvīryau viśvāmitraṃ tapodhanam |

abhivādyābhisaṃhṛṣṭau gamanāyābhitasthatuḥ ||

Translation

Nachdem die beiden hochkräftigen Prinzen ihre täglichen Riten vollendet hatten, erwiesen sie Viśvāmitra, dessen Reichtum die Askese ist, ehrfürchtig ihre Huldigung; voller freudiger Tatkraft standen sie bereit zum Aufbruch.

Word by Word

• tau: those two
• tau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga; Prathamā-vibhakti, Dvivacana; सर्वनाम

• prayātau: having proceeded
• prayātau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√yā (धातु) → prayāta (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: Puṃliṅga; Prathamā-vibhakti, Dvivacana; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; 'having gone/advanced'

• mahā-vīryau: mighty
• mahā-vīryau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + vīrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga; Prathamā-vibhakti, Dvivacana; qualifies tau

• divyām: divine
• divyām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga; Dvitīyā-vibhakti (Accusative), Ekavacana; qualifies nadīm

• tri-patha-gām: flowing in three paths
• tri-patha-gām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + patha (प्रातिपदिक) + √gam (धातु) → ga (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-आधार)
• Form: Strīliṅga; Dvitīyā-vibhakti, Ekavacana; समासः: तत्पुरुषः (tripathān gacchatīti) = 'going in three courses'

• nadīm: river
• nadīm: Karma (कर्म / Object of seeing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nadī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga; Dvitīyā-vibhakti (Accusative), Ekavacana

• dadṛśāte: saw
• dadṛśāte: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (Perfect); Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Dvivacana; Ātmanepada

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Kāla/Deśa-adhikaraṇa (काल/देश-अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb of sequence

• tatra: there
• tatra: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देश-अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; deictic adverb (place)

• sarayvāḥ: of the Sarayū (river)
• sarayvāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarayū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga; Ṣaṣṭhī-vibhakti (Genitive), Ekavacana

• saṅgame: at the confluence
• saṅgame: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṅgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga; Saptamī-vibhakti (Locative), Ekavacana

• śubhe: auspicious
• śubhe: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga; Saptamī-vibhakti, Ekavacana; qualifies saṅgame

Context

Foremost among the ascetics the son of Kusika (Viswamitra) delighted the charming princes with enchanting tales.ইত্যার্ষে শ্রীমদ্রামাযণে বাল্মীকীয আদিকাব্যে বালকাণ্ডে ত্রযোবিংশস্সর্গ:৷৷Thus ends the twentythird sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma includes reverence to spiritual authority and disciplined preparedness—ritual duty first, then action guided by the sage.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa finish morning observances, pay respects to Viśvāmitra, and prepare for the onward journey.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Humility toward the guru and energetic commitment to the task ahead.