Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 16, Shloka 4

पायसप्रादुर्भावः

The Manifestation of the Divine Payasa and the Avatara Resolution

Devanagari script

स हि तेपे तपस्तीव्रं दीर्घकालमरिन्दम ।येन तुष्टोऽभवद्ब्रह्मा लोककृल्लोकपूर्वज:।।।।

Transliteration

sa hi tepe tapas tīvraṁ dīrgha-kālam arindama | yena tuṣṭo ’bhavad brahmā loka-kṛl loka-pūrvajaḥ ||

Translation

Pues durante largo tiempo practicó austeridades intensas, oh domador de enemigos; por ello Brahmā —creador de los mundos, anterior a los mundos— quedó complacido.

Word by Word

• santuṣṭaḥ: well-pleased
• santuṣṭaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) — qualifier
• Type: Adjective
• Root: santuṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक; PPP from √tuṣ with sam-)
• Form: PPP (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifier of 'prabhuḥ'

• pradadau: granted/gave
• pradadau: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (दा धातु) with pra-
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa, Singular

• tasmai: to him
• tasmai: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Masculine, Dative (चतुर्थी), Singular

• rākṣasāya: to the rākṣasa
• rākṣasāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular; apposition to 'tasmai'

• varam: boon
• varam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• prabhuḥ: the Lord (Brahmā)
• prabhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• nānā-vidhebhyaḥ: from various kinds (of)
• nānā-vidhebhyaḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nānā (अव्यय) + vidha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva ‘nānāvidha’; Masculine/Neuter, Ablative (पञ्चमी), Plural; qualifies 'bhūtebhyaḥ'

• bhūtebhyaḥ: from beings
• bhūtebhyaḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (पञ्चमी), Plural

• bhayam: fear
• bhayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; object understood with ‘(na) bhavet’

• na: not/no
• na: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-निपात)

• anyatra: except
• anyatra: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb/Preposition-like indeclinable (अपवादार्थक-अव्यय) ‘except’

• mānuṣāt: from a human
• mānuṣāt: Apādāna (अपादान) — exception source
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānuṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (पञ्चमी), Singular

Context

The virtuous wives of the king were exceedingly delighted and felt honoured after receiving the payasam .

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Brahmā

FAQs

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

Austerity and disciplined effort can yield powerful results; Dharma requires that such power be guided by righteous intent rather than ego or harm.

What is the narrative situation?

Viśvāmitra explains the background to Rāvaṇa’s rise—his severe penance that won Brahmā’s favor.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Tapas (self-discipline) is highlighted as a potent force—ethically neutral unless directed by Dharma.