Valmiki Ramayana 1.41.2 — Bala Kanda, Sarga 41, Shloka 2

अंशुमान्—अश्वान्वेषणम्, दिशागजसंवादः, कपिलदाहवृत्तान्तः, गङ्गोपदेशः

Anshuman’s Search for the Horse and the Counsel to Bring Ganga

Devanagari script

शूरश्च कृतविद्यश्च पूर्वैस्तुल्योऽसि तेजसा।पितृ़णां गतिमन्विच्छ येन चाश्वोऽपवाहित:।।।।

Transliteration

śūraś ca kṛtavidyaś ca pūrvais tulyo 'si tejasā | pitṝṇāṃ gatim anviccha yena cāśvo 'pavāhitaḥ ||

Translation

Eres valiente y consumado en el saber; en esplendor igualas a tus antepasados. Sigue el camino que tomaron los ancestros—y también el de quien se llevó el caballo.

Word by Word

• śūraḥ: valiant
• śūraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative, 1st), Ekavacana (Singular); viśeṣaṇa of implied 'tvam'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (conjunction/particle)

• kṛtavidyaḥ: learned / having acquired knowledge
• kṛtavidyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (कृ धातु, क्त) + vidyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa (kṛtā vidyā yena saḥ) = 'one who has acquired learning'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (conjunction)

• pūrvaiḥ: with the ancestors / predecessors
• pūrvaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental, 3rd), Bahuvacana (Plural)

• tulyaḥ: equal
• tulyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tulya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate adjective with 'asi'

• asi: you are
• asi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ lakāra (Present), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd person), Ekavacana (Singular)

• tejasā: by (your) splendor / prowess
• tejasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṃsaka-liṅga (Neuter), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental, 3rd), Ekavacana; hetu/viśeṣaṇa-instrument sense

• pitṝṇām: of the forefathers
• pitṝṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive, 6th), Bahuvacana (Plural)

• gatim: path / course
• gatim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative, 2nd), Ekavacana

• anviccha: seek / search
• anviccha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu√iṣ (इष् धातु)
• Form: Loṭ lakāra (Imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada; 'anviccha' (search!)

• yena: by whom / whereby
• yena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/Napuṃsaka, Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental, 3rd), Ekavacana; relative pronoun

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (conjunction)

• aśvaḥ: the horse
• aśvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative, 1st), Ekavacana

• apavāhitaḥ: carried away / stolen
• apavāhitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apa√vah (वह् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle (past passive participle), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agrees with 'aśvaḥ'

Context

'You are valiant. You have acquired knowledge (in various fields). You are illustrious like your ancestors. Pursue the track taken by your uncles and by the thief who ran away with the horse'.

Characters & Entities

• Sagara
• Anśumān
• sacrificial horse (aśva)

FAQs

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

Kṣatriya-dharma: competence (knowledge + valor) must be used in service of truth and responsibility—recovering what is stolen and finding the rightful path.

What is the narrative situation?

Sagara (or the narrative report of his command) commissions Anśumān to follow the trail of the princes and the thief who removed the sacrificial horse.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Readiness for duty: disciplined learning joined to courage.