Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 62, Shloka 17

शुनश्शेफरक्षा–विश्वामित्रशापः

Sunassepha’s Rescue and Visvamitra’s Curse

Devanagari script

श्वमांसभोजिनस्सर्वे वासिष्ठा इव जातिषु।पूर्णं वर्षसहस्रं तु पृथिव्यामनुवत्स्यथ।।।।

Transliteration

śva-māṃsa-bhojinaḥ sarve vāsiṣṭhā iva jātiṣu | pūrṇaṃ varṣa-sahasraṃ tu pṛthivyām anuvatsyatha ||

Translation

Vous demeurerez tous sur la terre pendant mille ans entiers, vivant comme des mangeurs de chair de chien, tels les Vāsiṣṭhas parmi ces tribus.

Word by Word

• श्वमांसभोजिनः: dog-flesh eaters
• श्वमांसभोजिनः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वन् (प्रातिपदिक) + मांस (प्रातिपदिक) + भोजिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: श्वमांसं भोजयन्ति/भुञ्जते ये; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन (Nominative Plural)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; विशेषणं 'श्वमांसभोजिनः' इति

• वासिष्ठाः: Vāsiṣṭhas (sons/descendants of Vasiṣṭha)
• वासिष्ठाः: उपमान (Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; वसिष्ठ-सम्बन्धी)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; उपमान-सम्बन्धे (as those called Vāsiṣṭhas)

• इव: like
• इव: उपमा-सूचक (Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-निपात (comparative particle) = "like/as"

• जातिषु: among the castes/kinds
• जातिषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location-sphere)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पूर्णम्: full, complete
• पूर्णम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषणं 'वर्षसहस्रम्' इति

• वर्षसहस्रम्: a thousand years
• वर्षसहस्रम्: कालाधिकरण (Temporal extent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: वर्षाणां सहस्रम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Accusative Singular) (कालपरिमाणम्/time-extent)

• तु: indeed
• तु: सम्बन्धसूचक (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधारण/अन्वय (emphasis/contrast)

• पृथिव्याम्: on the earth
• पृथिव्याम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• अनुवत्स्यथ: you will dwell/live
• अनुवत्स्यथ: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + वस् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple future), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

Context

All of you shall live on earth for a thousand years, like the sons of Vasishta feeding on the flesh of dogs".

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• Viśvāmitra’s sons
• Earth (Pṛthivī)

FAQs

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

Actions and words opposed to dharma can bring severe consequences; the verse frames punishment as a moral outcome of violating righteous authority and conduct.

What is the narrative situation?

Viśvāmitra pronounces a curse on his sons for their defiance.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse emphasizes the sage’s spiritual power (tapas) and the seriousness of accountability in a dharmic order.