Valmiki Ramayana 1.11.17: Bala Kanda, Sarga 11, Shloka 17

ऋष्यशृङ्गानयनम् · Bringing Ṛśyaśṛṅga to Ayodhyā

Bālakāṇḍa, Sarga 11

Setting: Aṅga (Romapāda's realm)

Devanagari script

रोमपादेन चाख्यातमृषिपुत्राय धीमते ।

सख्यं सम्बन्धकं चैव तदा तं प्रत्यपूजयत् ॥१७॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 1.11.17

Transliteration

romapādena cākhyātam ṛṣiputrāya dhīmate |

sakhyaṃ sambandhakaṃ caiva tadā taṃ pratyapūjayat ||17||

Translation

रोमपद ने रिशि के बेटे को बताया कि हमारी दोस्ती और रिश्ता क्या है। उसके बदले में उसने भी दशरथ की बहुत इज्जत की।

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Word by Word

• romapādena: by Romapāda
• Type: Noun
• Root: romapāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/agent in passive sense with ākhyātam)

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• ākhyātam: was narrated
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-khyā (ख्या धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here predicative: 'was told/related'
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया; passive predicate)

• ṛṣi-putrāya: to the sage's son
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक) + putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ṛṣeḥ putraḥ)
• Role: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/recipient)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• dhīmate: to the intelligent one
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhīmat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; 'ṛṣiputrāya' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• sakhyam: friendship
• Type: Noun
• Root: sakhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object of ākhyātam)

• sambandhakam: as a relationship
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sambandhaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'sakhyam' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• eva: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)

• tadā: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (then)
• Role: Kāla (काल)

• tam: him
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)

• pratyapūjayat: honoured in return
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-pūj (पूज् धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

Sandhi Notes

• चाख्यातम् = च + आख्यातम्
• आख्यातमृषिपुत्राय = आख्यातम् + ऋषिपुत्राय
• चैव = च + एव

Context

Romapada explained his friendship and relationship with him (Dasaratha). Rsyasringa of great intellect in return felicitated Dasaratha.

The teaching

Alliances are stabilized when political friendship is reinforced by acknowledged kinship and reciprocal honor, especially involving the spiritual authority of sages.

Ethical theme

Rāja-nīti / social dharma

For your practice

Models humility and mutual respect between temporal power and spiritual wisdom.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shanta (peace), with Adbhuta (wonder)

Mood

Respectful, clarifying, harmonious

Themes

• Dharma
• Itihasa
• Reciprocity
• Social Ethics
• Satya

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Romapāda
• Daśaratha

FAQs

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

Dharma as reciprocity and truthful acknowledgment of relationships: bonds of friendship/kinship are openly stated and honored through respectful conduct.

What is the narrative situation?

Romapāda introduces and contextualizes Daśaratha to R̥śyaśr̥ṅga; R̥śyaśr̥ṅga responds with fitting honor.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

R̥śyaśr̥ṅga’s humility and decorum—he returns respect appropriately upon learning the relationship.