Shloka 15

Saptajana-āśrama Darśana and the Approach to Kiṣkindhā

Hermitage of Seven Sages; March toward Vāli’s Capital

Devanagari script

किमेतत् ज्ञातुमिच्छामि सखे कौतूहलं हि मे।कौतूहलापनयनं कर्तुमिच्छाम्यहं त्वया।।

Transliteration

kim etat jñātum icchāmi sakhe kautūhalaṁ hi me | kautūhalāpanayanaṁ kartum icchāmy ahaṁ tvayā || 4.13.15 ||

Translation

Freund, ich wünsche zu wissen, was dies ist, denn mein Herz ist voller Neugier. Bitte nimm mir die Ungewissheit und mache es mir klar.

Word by Word

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म; object of knowing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ज्ञातुम्: to know
• ज्ञातुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन; purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ज्ञा (धातु) + तुमुन्
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive)

• इच्छामि: I wish
• इच्छामि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सखे: O friend
• सखे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• कौतूहलम्: curiosity
• कौतूहलम्: Karma (कर्म; thing to be removed/clarified)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौतूहल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/causal nuance)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कौतूहलापनयनम्: removal of (my) curiosity
• कौतूहलापनयनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौतूहल-अपनयन (प्रातिपदिक; from √नी (धातु) with अप-उपसर्ग, भाव/कर्मणि-घञ्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कर्तुम्: to do
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु) + तुमुन्
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive)

• इच्छामि: I wish
• इच्छामि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Context

'O friend! I wish to know what this is? Could you answer my curiosity?'

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Sugriva

FAQs

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

Dharma aligned with satya encourages asking questions to remove doubt; right action rests on clear knowledge rather than assumption.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma directly requests Sugrīva to explain the unusual grove-like formation they are seeing.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vinaya (courtesy) and truth-seeking inquiry within friendship.