Shloka 2

Instruction to Śatrughna and the Mobilization for Rāma’s Aśvamedha

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा तं समयं धीमान्वसिष्ठः कलशोद्भवः । रामचंद्रं महाराजं प्रत्युवाच यथोचितम्

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā taṃ samayaṃ dhīmānvasiṣṭhaḥ kalaśodbhavaḥ | rāmacaṃdraṃ mahārājaṃ pratyuvāca yathocitam

Translation

Voyant ce moment favorable, le sage Vasiṣṭha — né du vase d’eau — s’adressa au roi Rāmacandra d’une manière digne de l’occasion.

Word by Word

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriya (क्रिया: पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश्) + ktvā (क्त्वा) (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (क्त्वान्त), ‘having seen’

• tam: that
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) singular (एकवचन)

• samayam: time, occasion
• samayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) singular (एकवचन)

• dhīmān: wise
• dhīmān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhīmat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying ‘vasiṣṭhaḥ’

• vasiṣṭhaḥ: Vasiṣṭha
• vasiṣṭhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasiṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) singular (एकवचन)

• kalaśa-udbhavaḥ: pot-born (sage)
• kalaśa-udbhavaḥ: Apposition (समानााधिकरण/विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalaśa (प्रातिपदिक) + udbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) singular (एकवचन); ‘born from a pot’ epithet of Vasiṣṭha

• rāma-caṃdram: Rāmacandra
• rāma-caṃdram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक) + caṃdra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) singular (एकवचन); proper name compound

• mahā-rājam: great king
• mahā-rājam: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + rāja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) singular (एकवचन); in apposition to ‘rāma-caṃdram’

• prati-uvāca: replied, spoke to
• prati-uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-√vac (वच्) (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष) singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• yathā-ucitam: as appropriate
• yathā-ucitam: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + ucita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva compound used adverbially (क्रियाविशेषणवत्), neuter accusative singular form functioning as indeclinable

Speaker

Vasiṣṭha

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: city

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: dhīmānvasiṣṭhaḥ = dhīmān + vasiṣṭhaḥ; kalaśodbhavaḥ = kalaśa + udbhavaḥ; pratyuvāca = prati + uvāca; yathocitam = yathā + ucitam.

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Rāmacandra

FAQs

Who is speaking in this verse, and to whom?

The sage Vasiṣṭha is the speaker, and he addresses King Rāmacandra.

What does the epithet “kalaśodbhava” indicate here?

It is an epithet meaning “born from a pot (kalaśa),” used to identify Vasiṣṭha in a traditional, honorific way.

What ethical or spiritual lesson is implied by “yathocitam” (as appropriate)?

It highlights discernment in speech—guidance should be given with sensitivity to time, place, and the listener’s role, especially when instructing a ruler on dharma.