Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 29, Shloka 1

सिद्धाश्रम-प्रसङ्गः

Siddhashrama and the Vāmana Narrative

Devanagari script

अथ तस्याप्रमेयस्य तद्वनं परिपृच्छत:।विश्वामित्रो महातेजा व्याख्यातुमुपचक्रमे।।1.29.1।।

Transliteration

atha tasyāprameyasya tad vanaṃ paripṛcchataḥ | viśvāmitro mahātejā vyākhyātum upacakrame || 1.29.1 ||

Translation

Als Rāma von unermesslicher Kraft nach jenem Wald fragte, begann der hochleuchtende Viśvāmitra, dessen Geschichte zu erklären.

Word by Word

• atha: then/thereafter
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; discourse particle (अनन्तरार्थक)

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular

• aprameyasya: of the immeasurable (one)
• aprameyasya: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-prameya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular; adjective qualifying tasya

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular

• vanam: forest
• vanam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; in apposition with tat

• paripṛcchataḥ: of (him) who was inquiring
• paripṛcchataḥ: Kāla (काल/Temporal circumstance)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-prach (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta (present active participle/शतृ) in genitive singular: paripṛcchataḥ; Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular; 'while he was asking' (genitive absolute-like)

• viśvāmitraḥ: Viśvāmitra
• viśvāmitraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśvāmitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• mahātejāḥ: greatly radiant
• mahātejāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā-tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya; Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; adjective of viśvāmitraḥ

• vyākhyātum: to explain
• vyākhyātum: Karma (कर्म/Infinitival complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-ā-khyā (धातु)
• Form: Tumun infinitive (तुमुन्) from √khyā with prefixes vi-ā-; complement of upacakrame

• upacakrame: began/commenced
• upacakrame: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-kram (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (लिट्/Perfect), Ātmanepada; Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Singular

Context

The highly lustrous Viswamitra heard the words of Rama of immeasurable prowess. On his (Rama's) query about the forest, Viswamitra explains.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Viśvāmitra
• forest (vana)

FAQs

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

Dharma values humble inquiry and guided learning: Rāma asks; the sage explains—knowledge is sought respectfully and given responsibly.

What is the narrative situation?

A transition into a backstory/explanation: Rāma questions the nature/history of the forest, and Viśvāmitra starts narrating.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s curiosity aligned with duty (seeking context before action) and Viśvāmitra’s role as a luminous, authoritative teacher.