Valmiki Ramayana 1.28.3: Bala Kanda, Sarga 28, Shloka 3

अस्त्रग्रहणं संहारोपदेशश्च

Receiving the Astras and Instruction on Withdrawal

Devanagari script

एवं ब्रुवति काकुत्स्थे विश्वामित्रो महामुनि:।संहारं व्याजहाराथ धृतिमान् सुव्रतश्शुचि:।।1.28.3।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 1.28.3

Transliteration

evaṃ bruvati kākutsthe viśvāmitro mahāmuniḥ | saṃhāraṃ vyājahārātha dhṛtimān suvrataḥ śuciḥ || 1.28.3 ||

Translation

Als Kakutstha (Rāma) so gesprochen hatte, lehrte der große Weise Viśvāmitra—standhaft, rein und fest in seinen heiligen Gelübden—ihn daraufhin das Mantra zum Zurückziehen und Zurückrufen der Waffen.

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Word by Word

• evam: thus/in this manner
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Manner adverb (प्रकारवाचक अव्यय)

• bruvati: while (he) was speaking
• bruvati: Sati-saptamī (सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Locative absolute with kākutsthe; Masculine Locative Singular implied agreement

• kākutsthe: when Kākutstha (Rāma)
• kākutsthe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kākutstha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (सप्तमी) Singular; in locative absolute construction

• viśvāmitraḥ: Viśvāmitra
• viśvāmitraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśvāmitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative Singular

• mahāmuniḥ: the great sage
• mahāmuniḥ: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative Singular; apposition to viśvāmitraḥ

• saṃhāram: withdrawal (of weapons)
• saṃhāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative Singular

• vyājahāra: declared/told
• vyājahāra: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-ā-√hṛ (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, perfect), Prathama-puruṣa Singular, Parasmaipada

• atha: then
• atha: Kāla/Anantara (काल/अनन्तर)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Sequential particle (अनन्तरार्थक)

• dhṛtimān: steadfast/fortitudinous
• dhṛtimān: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhṛti-mat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative Singular; possessive adjective (मतुप्)

• suvrataḥ: of good vows
• suvrataḥ: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su-vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative Singular

• śuciḥ: pure
• śuciḥ: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuci (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative Singular

Context

To these words spoken by Rama, maharshi Viswamitra who was patient practitioner of vows and pure taught the withdrawl mantra.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Viśvāmitra

FAQs

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

Dharma here is disciplined power: one must not only receive weapons/skills but also learn restraint—how to withdraw and control them—so strength serves righteousness rather than impulse.

What is the narrative situation?

After Rāma speaks (in the ongoing instruction scene), Viśvāmitra proceeds to teach him the ‘saṃhāra’—the method/mantra to recall or neutralize the granted astras.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Viśvāmitra’s purity and vow-based discipline (śuci, suvrata) and Rāma’s readiness to learn controlled use of power—fortitude guided by training.