Valmiki Ramayana 1.37.26: Bala Kanda, Sarga 37, Shloka 26

कुमारसम्भवः · गङ्गायां तेजोनिक्षेपः

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

Addressed to Rama

Devanagari script

तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा स्कन्नं गर्भपरिस्रवे ॥२६॥

स्नापयन् परया लक्ष्म्या दीप्यमानं यथानलम् ।

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 1.37.26

Transliteration

teṣāṁ tad-vacanaṁ śrutvā skannaṁ garbha-parisrave ||26||

snāpayan parayā lakṣmyā dīpyamānaṁ yathānalam |

Translation

जब देवता की बात सुनी, कृत्तिका ने उस बच्चे को नहाया। वो बच्चा आग की तरह चमक रहा था, बहुत खूबसूरत।

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Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; ‘of them’
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)

• तत्: that
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifying वचनम्)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• वचनम्: speech/words
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund): ‘having heard’
• Role: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)

• स्कन्नम्: the descended one
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्कन्द् (धातु) → स्कन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तम् (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘fallen/descended’ (object of स्नापयन्)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• गर्भ-परिस्रवे: in/at the flowing of the embryo
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक) + परिस्रव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गर्भस्य परिस्रवः); अधिकरण-सप्तमी (locative)
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• स्नापयन्: bathing (him)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रत्ययान्त causative; वर्तमानकृदन्तः (शतृ); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘bathing (him)’
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• परया: with supreme
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifying लक्ष्म्या)
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• लक्ष्म्या: splendour/beauty
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; करण-तृतीया (instrumental)
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• दीप्यमानम्: shining
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप् (धातु) → दीप्यमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्तः (शानच्), आत्मनेपदीय; नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘shining’ (qualifying स्कन्नम्)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• यथा: like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle: ‘like/as’)
• Role: Upamāna (उपमान)

• अनलम्: fire
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; उपमान-प्रयोगे द्वितीया
• Role: Upamāna (उपमान)

Sandhi Notes

• tadvacanaṅ → तत् वचनम्
• garbhaparisravē → गर्भ-परिस्रवे
• yathānalam → यथा अनलम्

Context

Hearing the words of the gods, the krittikas bathed the baby that descended from the womb of Ganga resembling flaming fire and shining with great beauty.

The teaching

Care (pālana) and purification (snāpana) are sacred acts; divine power can appear in vulnerable form, inviting protective tenderness.

Ethical theme

Gṛhastha/saṃskāra-dharma (nurture and purification)

Devotion and practice

Meditation on Skanda’s tejas for inner strength; contemplation of maternal devotion as a bhakti-mode.

Deity praised

Skanda/Kārttikeya

Mood and themes

Rasa

Adbhuta (wonder), with Shringara (love)

Mood

Radiant, maternal, marveling

Themes

• Itihasa
• Dharma
• Divine birth
• Purification
• Satya

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Skanda/Kumāra (the child)

FAQs

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

Dharma appears as reverent service to a divine responsibility: the Kṛttikās respond promptly to the gods’ instruction and perform a purifying rite (bathing), showing disciplined, duty-bound action.

What is the narrative situation?

After the embryo descends as it flows from Gaṅgā, the Kṛttikās, following the gods’ direction, bathe the radiant newborn who will become Skanda/Kumāra.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Obedience and caretaking (sevā): the Kṛttikās act as protectors and nurturers, carrying out the required rite with attentiveness.