Valmiki Ramayana 1.37.24: Bala Kanda, Sarga 37, Shloka 24

कुमारसम्भवः · गङ्गायां तेजोनिक्षेपः

The Birth of Kumāra/Skanda and the Deposition of Śiva’s Energy through Gaṅgā

Spoken by Viśvāmitra to RamaSetting: Birth-site vicinity of Kumāra in the mythic mountain-forest setting

Devanagari script

ताः क्षीरं जातमात्रस्य कृत्वा समयमुत्तमम् ॥२४॥

ददुः पुत्रोऽयमस्माकं सर्वासामिति निश्चिताः ।

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 1.37.24

Transliteration

tāḥ kṣīraṃ jātamātrasya kṛtvā samayam uttamam ||24||

daduḥ putro 'yam asmākaṃ sarvāsām iti niścitāḥ |

Translation

वो कृत्तिका देवियाँ मान गईं। उन्होंने सोचा कि यह बच्चा सबका बेटा है। फिर उन्होंने उस नई पैदाइश को दूध पिलाया।

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Word by Word

• ताः: they (those women/Kṛttikās)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• क्षीरम्: milk
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• जात-मात्रस्य: of the newly born (child)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः (जात एव मात्रः = just-born); पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘of the just-born (child)’
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• कृत्वा: having made
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): ‘having made/done’
• Role: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)

• समयम्: an agreement/arrangement
• Type: Noun
• Root: समय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifying समयम्)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• ददुः: gave
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• पुत्रः: son
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्
• Role: Pratijñā/Predicate (प्रत्यय/विधेय)

• अयम्: this (one)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम
• Role: Pratijñā/Predicate (विधेय)

• अस्माकम्: of us
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; ‘of us’
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)

• सर्वासाम्: of all (of us)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifying अस्माकम्)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)

• इति: thus/that
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्ति-निपात (quotative particle)
• Role: Vākyārtha-marker (इति-प्रयोग)

• निश्चिताः: resolved/decided
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-√चि (धातु) → निश्चित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तम् (क्त); स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; ‘resolved/decided’
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

Sandhi Notes

• kṣīraṅ → क्षीरम्
• samayamuttamam → समयम् उत्तमम्
• daduḥ putro 'yam → ददुः पुत्रः अयम्
• asmākaṅ → अस्माकम्

Context

Those krittikas, having decided among themselves and having made an agreement with the gods saying! 'This boy shall become a son to all of us' fed the new-born with their milk (breast milk).

The teaching

Shared responsibility and the surrender of exclusive ownership can create the highest form of care—‘this is our child’.

Ethical theme

Communal duty / compassion in action

Devotion and practice

For devotees: meditate on mātṛ-bhāva (maternal devotion) and collective seva; encourages sangha-like support for spiritual growth.

Deity praised

Kumāra (Skanda/Kārttikeya) (implicit)

Mood and themes

Rasa

Adbhuta (wonder), with Shringara (love)

Mood

Tender, collective, sacred-maternal

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Itihasa
• Shared parenthood
• Nurture and duty

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Kumāra (newborn)

FAQs

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

Dharma is expressed as selfless nurture and shared duty: the Kṛttikās set aside exclusivity and affirm collective care, grounded in truthfulness of intent and commitment.

What is the narrative situation?

The Kṛttikās mutually agree to treat the child as belonging to all of them, and they feed him their milk.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Unity and generosity—nurturing without possessiveness, and honoring an agreed vow (satya to one’s word).