Shloka 12

Devanagari script

अहमस्यावरो भ्राता गुणैर्दास्यमुपागतः।कृतज्ञस्य बहुज्ञस्य लक्ष्मणो नाम नामतः।।

Transliteration

aham asyāvaro bhrātā guṇair dāsyam upāgataḥ | kṛtajñasya bahujñasya lakṣmaṇo nāma nāmataḥ ||

Translation

Ich bin sein jüngerer Bruder; von seinen Tugenden bewegt, habe ich den Dienst an ihm auf mich genommen. Dem Namen nach heiße ich Lakṣmaṇa; er ist dankbar und von tiefer Weisheit.

Word by Word

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वनाम)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (एकवचन); 1st person pronoun

• asya: of him / his
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वनाम)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Ṣaṣṭhī (6th/षष्ठी), Ekavacana (एकवचन); genitive 'of him'

• avaraḥ: younger
• avaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता; predicate adjective of 'aham')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (एकवचन); comparative sense 'younger'

• bhrātā: brother
• bhrātā: Karta (कर्ता; apposition to 'aham')
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (एकवचन); 'brother'

• guṇaiḥ: by (his) virtues
• guṇaiḥ: Hetu/Karaṇa (हेतु/करण; cause/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā (3rd/तृतीया), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन); instrumental 'by virtues/qualities'

• dāsyam: servitude/service
• dāsyam: Karma (कर्म; object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāsya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन); object 'service/servitude'

• upāgataḥ: have accepted / have come to
• upāgataḥ: Karta (कर्ता; agrees with 'aham')
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-√gam (धातु) + kta (क्त) = upāgata (कृदन्त)
• Form: Kta-participle (क्त-कृदन्त; past participle), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; used predicatively with implied 'asmi' = 'have come to/accepted'

• kṛtajñasya: of the grateful one
• kṛtajñasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta-jña (प्रातिपदिक; कृत + ज्ञ)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī (6th/षष्ठी), Ekavacana (एकवचन); genitive qualifier 'of the grateful (man)'

• bahujñasya: of the learned one
• bahujñasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu-jña (प्रातिपदिक; बहु + ज्ञ)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; genitive qualifier 'of the well-versed (man)'

• lakṣmaṇaḥ: Lakshmana
• lakṣmaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; apposition to 'aham')
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; proper noun

• nāma: named/called
• nāma: None (अकारक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: Nāma-avyaya (नाम-अव्यय; quotative/marker 'by name/called')

• nāmataḥ: by name / in name
• nāmataḥ: None (अकारक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तस्-प्रत्यय; avyayībhāva adverbial)
• Form: Tasil-anta avyaya (तसिलन्त-अव्यय; adverb) 'as to name/nominally'

Context

'I am his younger brother, called Lakshmana. I have accepted the service of this learned, virtuous and grateful man.

Characters & Entities

• Lakshmana
• Rama

FAQs

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

Dharma as sevā and loyalty: Lakṣmaṇa freely chooses service grounded in virtue, showing that true hierarchy in dharma is based on character and gratitude.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa introduces himself and clarifies his relationship to Rāma, framing his role as voluntary service.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Lakṣmaṇa’s devotion and humility, and Rāma’s gratitude and wisdom (kṛtajñatā, bahujñatā).