Valmiki Ramayana 1.4.9: Bala Kanda, Sarga 4, Shloka 9

कुशिलवगानप्रशंसा

The Commissioning and Public Performance of the Rāmāyaṇa

Devanagari script

पाठ्ये गेये च मधुरं प्रमाणैस्त्रिभिरन्वितम्।जातिभिस्सप्तभिर्बद्धं तन्त्रीलयसमन्वितम्।।1.4.8।। रसैश्शृङ्गारकारुण्यहास्यवीरभयानकै:।रौद्रादिभिश्च संयुक्तं काव्यमेतदगायताम्।।1.4.9।। तौ तु गान्धर्वतत्त्वज्ञौ मूर्छनास्थानकोविदौ।भ्रातरौ स्वरसम्पन्नौ गन्धर्वाविव रूपिणौ।।1.4.10।। रूपलक्षणसम्पन्नौ मधुरस्वरभाषिणौ।बिम्बादिवोद्धृतौ बिम्बौ रामदेहात्तथाऽपरौ।।1.4.11।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 1.4.9

Transliteration

pāṭhye geye ca madhuraṃ pramāṇais tribhir anvitam |

jātibhiḥ saptabhir baddhaṃ tantrī-laya-samanvitam || 1.4.8 ||

rasaiḥ śṛṅgāra-kāruṇya-hāsya-vīra-bhayānakaiḥ |

raudrādibhiś ca saṃyuktaṃ kāvyam etad agāyatām || 1.4.9 ||

tau tu gāndharva-tattva-jñau mūrchanā-sthāna-kovidau |

bhrātarau svara-sampannau gandharvāv iva rūpiṇau || 1.4.10 ||

rūpa-lakṣaṇa-sampannau madhura-svara-bhāṣiṇau |

bimbād ivoddhṛtau bimbau rāma-dehāt tathā ’parau || 1.4.11 ||

Translation

Dieses Epos war süß sowohl zum Vortrag als auch zum Gesang, den drei rhythmischen Maßen gemäß, in sieben Tonarten gebunden und im Einklang mit dem Takt der Saiten und dem laya. Von rasas erfüllt—Liebe, Mitleid, Heiterkeit, Heldentum, Furcht, ebenso Zorn und die übrigen—sangen es die beiden Brüder. Kundig im Wesen der gandharva-Musik, erfahren in melodischen Wendungen und Tonlagen, und mit schöner Stimme begabt, erschienen sie wie Gandharvas in Menschengestalt. Vollendet an Gestalt und Merkmalen, sanft in Rede und Klang, glichen sie zwei Spiegelbildern, dem Leib Rāmas selbst entnommen.

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Word by Word

• ते: they/those (sages)
• ते: Karta (कर्ता) (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural); refers to the sages

• प्रीतमनसः: with delighted minds
• प्रीतमनसः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) (qualifier of ते/मुनयः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रीत + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक); components: प्रीत (pleased) + मनस् (mind)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural); बहुव्रीहि: 'येषां मनः प्रीतम्' = whose minds were pleased

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural); विशेषण of मुनयः

• मुनयः: sages
• मुनयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• धर्मवत्सलाः: devoted to dharma
• धर्मवत्सलाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + वत्सल (प्रातिपदिक); components: धर्म (dharma) + वत्सल (fond of)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural); उपपद-तत्पुरुष/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष sense: 'fond of dharma'

• प्रशशंसुः: praised
• प्रशशंसुः: Kriyā (क्रिया) (main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शंस् (धातु) (स्तुतौ) + प्र- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd person plural, Perfect, Parasmaipada)

• प्रशस्तव्यौ: praiseworthy
• प्रशस्तव्यौ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) (predicate adjective of the praised two)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √शंस् (धातु) (स्तुतौ) + प्र-; प्रशस्तव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, gerundive)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Gerundive/Future passive participle: 'to be praised'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Dual); agrees with कुशीलवौ

• गायमानौ: singing/chanting
• गायमानौ: Karta (कर्ता) (agentive participle qualifying the two)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गै (धातु) (गाने) (present participle stem गायमान)
• Form: शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (Present participle, Ātmanepada sense); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Dual); agrees with कुशीलवौ

• कुशीलवौ: Kuśa and Lava
• कुशीलवौ: Karma (कर्म) (object of praise; the two being praised)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुशीलव (प्रातिपदिक) (proper noun: Kuśa and Lava as a dual)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Dual)

Context

The twin brothers Kusa and Lava, endowed with a melodious voice, possessed auspicious form and beauty. They were gandharvas in human form. They looked like the two reflected images of Rama. The contents of this epic, apart from being memorable are sweet and suitable for verbal recitation as well as singing. This charming and attractive kavya is fit to be adapted to the three measures of time and to stringed instruments. It possesses seven notes together with various moods-amorous, compassionate, humorous, heroic, fearful and also violent.

Characters & Entities

• Kuśa
• Lava
• Rāma
• gandharva (celestial musicians)

FAQs

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

Dharma is communicated effectively through disciplined artistry: sacred history is preserved and taught by precise, beautiful recitation that makes truth memorable and transmissible.

What is the narrative situation?

Kuśa and Lava perform the Ramayana as a refined musical-oral composition, described in terms of tempo, modes, and rasas, and praised for their resemblance to Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Śruti-smṛti-saṃrakṣaṇa (guardianship of tradition): mastery of voice, music, and disciplined performance used in service of truthful narration.