Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 29, Shloka 2

सिद्धाश्रम-प्रसङ्गः

Siddhashrama and the Vāmana Narrative

Devanagari script

इह राम महाबाहो विष्णुर्देववर: प्रभु:।वर्षाणि सुबहूनीह तथा युगशतानि च।।1.29.2।।तपश्चरणयोगार्थमुवास सुमहातपा:।

Transliteration

iha rāma mahābāho viṣṇur devavaraḥ prabhuḥ | varṣāṇi subahūnīha tathā yugaśatāni ca || 1.29.2 || tapaś-caraṇa-yogārtham uvāsa su-mahā-tapāḥ |

Translation

Ici, ô Rāma aux bras puissants, Viṣṇu —le Seigneur souverain, le plus éminent des dieux— demeura d’innombrables années, même des centaines de yuga, afin de pratiquer le yoga et d’accomplir des austérités.

Word by Word

• iha: here
• iha: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb of place

• rāma: O Rāma
• rāma: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• mahābāho: O mighty-armed one
• mahābāho: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya; Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• viṣṇuḥ: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• devavaraḥ: best of the gods
• devavaraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva-vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी): devānāṃ varaḥ; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; predicate/apposition to viṣṇuḥ

• prabhuḥ: the lord
• prabhuḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; apposition to viṣṇuḥ

• varṣāṇi: years
• varṣāṇi: Kāla (काल/Duration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural; duration (कालाधिकरण-प्राय)

• subahūni: very many
• subahūni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su-bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya; Neuter, Accusative, Plural; adjective of varṣāṇi

• iha: here
• iha: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb of place (repetition for emphasis)

• tathā: and also/likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb/conjunction

• yugaśatāni: hundreds of yugas
• yugaśatāni: Kāla (काल/Duration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuga-śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvigu (numeral compound): śatam yugānām; Neuter, Accusative, Plural; duration

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• tapaścaraṇayogārtham: for the purpose of practicing austerity and yoga
• tapaścaraṇayogārtham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas-caraṇa-yoga-artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Multi-member Tatpuruṣa (समाहार/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): tapas + caraṇa + yoga + artham; Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; purpose (अर्थम्)

• uvāsa: dwelt/lived
• uvāsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vas (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (Perfect), Parasmaipada; Prathama-puruṣa, Singular

• sumahātapāḥ: very great ascetic
• sumahātapāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su-mahā-tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; adjective of viṣṇuḥ

Context

"You are all ascetism, a mass of tapas, and an embodiment of tapas. Your soul is tapas. O Purushottama! I am beholding you after a rigorous penance.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Viṣṇu
• Siddhāśrama (implied by ‘here’ in the surrounding passage)

FAQs

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

Dharma is sustained through disciplined self-restraint: the verse elevates tapas and yogic practice as legitimate, long-term means for preserving cosmic and social order.

What is the narrative situation?

Viśvāmitra points out the sacred site (Siddhāśrama) to Rāma and explains its sanctity by recalling Viṣṇu’s long austerities performed there.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Ascetic steadfastness (dṛḍha-niścaya / tapaḥ): unwavering commitment to spiritual discipline across vast spans of time.