Valmiki Ramayana 1.21.18: Bala Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 18

बालकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः

Daśaratha’s Promise, Vasiṣṭha’s Counsel, and Viśvāmitra’s Weapon-Lore

Devanagari script

तानि चास्त्राणि वेत्त्येष यथावत्कुशिकात्मज:।अपूर्वाणां च जनने शक्तो भूयस्स धर्मवित्।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 1.21.18

Transliteration

tāni cāstrāṇi vetty eṣa yathāvat kuśikātmajaḥ |

apūrvāṇāṃ ca janane śakto bhūyaḥ sa dharmavit ||

Translation

Ce fils de Kuśika connaît ces armes pleinement et selon la juste règle; et, connaisseur du Dharma, il est en outre capable d’engendrer des armes nouvelles, sans précédent.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• tāni: those/these
• tāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

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

• astrāṇi: missiles/weapons
• astrāṇi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• vetti: knows
• vetti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (विद्, धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• eṣaḥ: this (man)
• eṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun); पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• yathāvat: properly
• yathāvat: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'properly, as it should be')

• kuśika-ātmajaḥ: the son of Kuśika (Viśvāmitra)
• kuśika-ātmajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuśika (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive: 'son of Kuśika'); पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• apūrvāṇām: of new (ones)
• apūrvāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम् to astrāṇām (understood)

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

• janane: in producing/creating
• janane: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• śaktaḥ: capable
• śaktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakta (प्रातिपदिक; past passive participle from √śak)
• Form: कृत्-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP); पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); कर्तरि-प्रयोगे (as predicate adjective)

• bhūyaḥ: moreover
• bhūyaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhūyaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरर्थक-अव्यय (adverb: 'moreover/again')

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun); पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• dharma-vit: knower of dharma/virtuous
• dharma-vit: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + vit (प्रातिपदिक; from √vid 'knower')
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष (one who knows dharma); पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Daśaratha
• Viśvāmitra
• Kuśika
• Astras (divine weapons)

FAQs

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

Power is validated by dharma. Viśvāmitra’s mastery over weapons is framed as grounded in righteousness and disciplined wisdom, not mere force.

What is the narrative situation?

Vasiṣṭha reassures Daśaratha about Viśvāmitra’s competence, emphasizing his complete command of astras and even the ability to generate new ones.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Viśvāmitra’s dharma-jñāna and tapas-born capability—knowledge used for protection and rightful purpose.