Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 16, Shloka 29

पायसप्रादुर्भावः

The Manifestation of the Divine Payasa and the Avatara Resolution

Devanagari script

कौसल्यायै नरपति: पायसार्धं ददौ तदा।अर्धादर्धं ददौ चापि सुमित्रायै नराधिप:।।1.16.27।।कैकेय्यै चावशिष्टार्धं ददौ पुत्रार्थकारणात्। प्रददौ चावशिष्टार्धं पायसस्यामृतोपमम्।।1.16.28।। अनुचिन्त्य सुमित्रायै पुनरेव महीपति:।एवं तासां ददौ राजा भार्याणां पायसं पृथक् ।।1.16.29।।

Transliteration

kausalyāyai narapatiḥ pāyasārdhaṃ dadau tadā | ardhād ardhaṃ dadau cāpi sumitrāyai narādhipaḥ ||

kaikeyyai cāvaśiṣṭārdhaṃ dadau putrārtha-kāraṇāt | pradadau cāvaśiṣṭārdhaṃ pāyasasyāmṛtopamam ||

anucintya sumitrāyai punar eva mahīpatiḥ | evaṃ tāsāṃ dadau rājā bhāryāṇāṃ pāyasaṃ pṛthak ||

Translation

Alors le roi donna la moitié du pāyasa à Kausalyā ; et de la moitié restante il en donna encore la moitié à Sumitrā. Pour obtenir des fils, il donna à Kaikeyī la moitié de ce qui demeurait ; puis, après avoir de nouveau réfléchi, le maître de la terre remit à Sumitrā la dernière part — un pāyasa semblable à l’amṛta. Ainsi le roi répartit le pāyasa séparément entre ses épouses.

Word by Word

• अनुचिन्त्य: having reflected
• अनुचिन्त्य: क्रियाविशेषण (पूर्वकालिक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल; धातु: चिन्त् 'to think' with उपसर्ग अनु-

• सुमित्रायै: to Sumitra
• सुमित्रायै: सम्प्रदान (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुमित्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: सम्बन्ध (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, पुनरावृत्तिवाचक (adverb: again)

• एव: indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Emphasis/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण (emphasis)

• महीपतिः: the king
• महीपतिः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: प्रकार (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb: thus)

• तासाम्: of those (wives)
• तासाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; 'of those (women)'

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• राजा: the king
• राजा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; apposition to महीपतिः

• भार्याणाम्: of (his) wives
• भार्याणाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• पायसम्: pāyasa
• पायसम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पायस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: प्रकार (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, भेद/विभागवाचक (adverb: separately)

Context

Then Dasaratha gave half the portion of payasam to Kausalya, half of the remaining half to Sumitra, half of the remaining portion (one-eighth of original) to Kaikeyi for the sake of a son. On further thinking, he gave the remaining one-eighth portion to Sumitra. In this manner the king divided and distributed the payasam among his wives separately.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kausalyā
• Sumitrā
• Kaikeyī
• pāyasa

FAQs

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

Dharma in household governance: the king allocates a sacred resource with deliberation (anucintya) and fairness within the structure of his family responsibilities.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha apportions the divine pāyasa among Kausalyā, Sumitrā, and Kaikeyī, adjusting the final portion after reflection.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudence and responsible decision-making—he considers outcomes (progeny) and acts thoughtfully rather than impulsively.