Valmiki Ramayana 1.48.2: Bala Kanda, Sarga 48, Shloka 2

अहल्याशापवर्णनम्

The Account of Ahalyā’s Curse and the Deserted Hermitage near Mithilā

Devanagari script

इमौ कुमारौ भद्रं ते देवतुल्यपराक्रमौ।गजसिंहगती वीरौ शार्दूलवृषभोपमौ।।।।पद्मपत्रविशालाक्षौ खड्गतूणी धनुर्धरौ।अश्विनाविव रूपेण समुपस्थितयौवनौ।।।।यदृच्छयैव गां प्राप्तौ देवलोकादिवामरौ।कथं पद्भ्यामिह प्राप्तौ किमर्थं कस्य वा मुने।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 1.48.2

Transliteration

imau kumārau bhadraṃ te devatulyaparākramau |

gajasiṃhagatī vīrau śārdūlavṛṣabhopamau ||

padmapatraviśālākṣau khaḍgatūṇī dhanurdharau |

aśvināv iva rūpeṇa samupasthitayauvanau ||

yadṛcchayaiva gāṃ prāptau devalokād ivāmarau |

kathaṃ padbhyām iha prāptau kimarthaṃ kasya vā mune ||

Translation

Segen sei mit dir, o Weiser. Wer sind diese beiden Jünglinge, deren Kraft den Göttern gleicht? Sie schreiten wie Elefant oder Löwe—Helden, dem Tiger und dem Stier vergleichbar. Ihre Augen sind weit wie Lotusblätter; sie tragen Schwerter, Köcher und Bögen. An Schönheit gleichen sie den Aśvins, eben in die Jugend getreten, als wären Unsterbliche aus dem Himmel herabgestiegen. Wie sind sie zu Fuß hierher gelangt, o Weiser—wessen Söhne sind sie, und zu welchem Zweck?

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Word by Word

• bhūṣayantau: adorning
• bhūṣayantau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhūṣ (भूष् धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; विशेषण of 'imau' (understood)

• imam: this
• imam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (इदम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of 'deśam'

• deśam: country, region
• deśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• candra-sūryau: the moon and the sun
• candra-sūryau: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: candra (प्रातिपदिक) + sūrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; उपमान

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā (उपमा-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय

• ambaram: sky
• ambaram: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ambara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपमेय-स्थान (as the compared locus: sky)

• parasparasya: of each other
• parasparasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paraspara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; ‘of each other’

• sadṛśau: similar, alike
• sadṛśau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sadṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; विशेषण of the two youths

• pramāṇa-iṅgita-ceṣṭitaiḥ: in stature, gestures, and movements
• pramāṇa-iṅgita-ceṣṭitaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pramāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + iṅgita (प्रातिपदिक) + ceṣṭita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective) / समुच्चयार्थ-समास; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• kimartham: for what purpose
• kimartham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (किम्) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; प्रश्न-अव्यय (for what purpose)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• muniśreṣṭha: O best of sages
• muniśreṣṭha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक) + śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-समास (‘best among sages’); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• samprāptau: have arrived
• samprāptau: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + pra + ā + pad (पद् धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘have come’

• durgame: difficult (to traverse)
• durgame: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण of 'pathi'

• pathi: on the path
• pathi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pathin (पथिन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• vara-āyudha-dharau: bearing excellent weapons
• vara-āyudha-dharau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक) + āyudha (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘bearing excellent weapons’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; विशेषण

• vīrau: heroes
• vīrau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; विशेषण

• śrotum: to hear
• śrotum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (श्रु धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), ‘to hear’

• icchāmi: I wish/desire
• icchāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (इष् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• tattvataḥ: truly, in detail
• tattvataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tattvatas (तत्त्वतस् अव्यय)
• Form: रीति/प्रकार-अव्यय (adverb: truly, in reality)

Context

"O Sage, wish you well! Who are these two youths who seem to possess the prowess of celestial beings. They walk with the gait of an elephant or a lion. They are courageous like tiger or a bull. Their large eyes are like lotus-petals. They are armed with scimitars, bows and quivers. They are young and handsome like Aswinikumaras dropped from heaven casually. Whose sons are they? How did they come here on foot? With what purpose?

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Aśvins
• Devaloka

FAQs

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

Dharma here is expressed as reverent speech and discerning recognition of virtue: Ahalyā greets the sage properly and acknowledges noble qualities without envy or hostility, modeling respectful inquiry.

What is the narrative situation?

After Ahalyā’s release from her curse, she beholds Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa with Viśvāmitra and asks the sage who these extraordinary youths are and why they have come.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Ahalyā’s humility and clarity: she offers blessings, speaks courteously, and seeks truthful identification and purpose rather than making assumptions.