Valmiki Ramayana 1.22.17: Bala Kanda, Sarga 22, Shloka 17

बलातिबलोपदेशः · The Instruction of Bala and Atibala

Devanagari script

क्षुत्पिपासे न ते राम भविष्येते नरोत्तम ।

बलामतिबलां चैव पठतः पथि राघव ॥१७॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 1.22.17

Transliteration

kṣutpipāse na te rāma bhaviṣyete narottama |

balām atibalāṃ caiva paṭhataḥ pathi rāghava ||17||

Translation

हे राम, तुम इंसानों में सबसे बेहतर हो। हे रघुकुल के राजकुमार, अगर तुम रास्ते में बला और अतिबला का पाठ करते रहो, तो तुम्हे न भूख लगेगी न प्यास।

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Word by Word

• kṣut-pipāse: hunger and thirst
• kṣut-pipāse: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣut (प्रातिपदिक) + pipāsā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), द्विवचन (dual); द्वन्द्व-समासः (copulative): ‘hunger and thirst’

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• te: of you / to you (contextual)
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), षष्ठी (Gen), एकवचन (sg)

• rāma: O Rama
• rāma: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सम्बोधन (Voc), एकवचन (sg)

• bhaviṣyete: will occur / will arise
• bhaviṣyete: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन (dual), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada)

• narottama: O best of men
• narottama: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सम्बोधन (Voc), एकवचन (sg); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative): ‘best of men’

• balām: (the mantra/vidyā) Bala
• balām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: balā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया (Acc), एकवचन (sg)

• atibalām: (the mantra/vidyā) Atibala
• atibalām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: atibalā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया (Acc), एकवचन (sg)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• paṭhataḥ: (you two) recite
• paṭhataḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: paṭh (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), द्विवचन (dual), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada); here used with conditional sense ‘if/when you two recite’ (contextual)

• pathi: on the way
• pathi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pathin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सप्तमी (Loc), एकवचन (sg)

• rāghava: O Raghava
• rāghava: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सम्बोधन (Voc), एकवचन (sg)

Context

O Rama, best among men, scion in the line of Raghu, on your way you will not feel hunger or thirst if you recite bala and atibala.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Bala (vidyā/mantra)
• Atibala (vidyā/mantra)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes self-mastery: the disciplined use of sacred recitation supports endurance and steadiness, enabling one to pursue righteous duty without being diverted by bodily hardship.

What is the narrative situation?

Viśvāmitra explains the practical benefits of Bala and Atibala for the journey and for the tasks ahead.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s capacity for tapas-like endurance—remaining focused on duty despite hunger, thirst, and travel fatigue.