Valmiki Ramayana 1.37.29: Bala Kanda, Sarga 37, Shloka 29

कुमारसम्भवः · गङ्गायां तेजोनिक्षेपः

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

Addressed to Rama

Devanagari script

गृहीत्वा क्षीरमेकाह्ना सुकुमारवपुस्तदा ॥२९॥

अजयत्स्वेन वीर्येण दैत्यसेनागणान् विभुः ।

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 1.37.29

Transliteration

gṛhītvā kṣīram ekāhnā sukumāra-vapus tadā ||29||

ajayat svena vīryeṇa daitya-senā-gaṇān vibhuḥ |

Translation

वो बच्चा सिर्फ एक दिन दूध पी के बड़ा हो रहा था। उसका बॉडी अभी भी नरम था। फिर भी उसने अपनी ताकत से दैत्यों की पूरी सेना को हरा दिया।

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Word by Word

• गृहीत्वा: having taken
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund): ‘having taken/received’
• Role: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)

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

• एकाह्ना: within one day
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अहन्/अह्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समासः (एकम् अहः); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; काल-करण-तृतीया (instrumental of time-span)
• Role: Kāla (काल)
• Compound: Dvigu

• सु-कुमार-वपुः: the one with a very tender body
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + कुमार (प्रातिपदिक) + वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः (सुकुमारं वपुः यस्य/सुकुमारं वपुः); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्तृपद-विशेषणरूपेण
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)

• अजयत्: conquered/vanquished
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (imperfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• स्वेन: by his own
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifying वीर्येण)
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• वीर्येण: prowess/strength
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; करण-तृतीया
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• दैत्य-सेना-गणान्: hosts of demon armies
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + सेना (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (दैत्यानां सेनागणाः); पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• विभुः: the mighty one
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्तृपद (apposition to sukumāravapuḥ)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

Sandhi Notes

• kṣīramēkāhnā → क्षीरम् एकाह्ना
• sukumāravapustadā → सु-कुमार-वपुः तदा
• ajayatsvēna → अजयत् स्वेन
• daityasēnāgaṇān → दैत्य-सेना-गणान्

Context

Drinking milk just for a day and with a body still tender he could vanquish hosts of demons by his inborn prowess so capable be was!

The teaching

Inner strength (vīrya/tejas) and disciplined restraint can accomplish what outward maturity or resources cannot.

Ethical theme

Vīrya (valor) / tapas (self-discipline)

Devotion and practice

Contemplation on Skanda’s tejas for courage, protection, and overcoming inner ‘asuric’ tendencies (anger, fear, inertia).

Deity praised

Kārttikeya/Skanda (implied)

Mood and themes

Rasa

Vira (heroism), with Adbhuta (wonder)

Mood

Dauntless, precocious, triumphant

Themes

• Itihasa
• Dharma
• Protection of worlds
• Heroic virtue
• Satya

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Skanda/Kumāra

FAQs

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

Dharma is the protection of the righteous order: even in infancy, the divinely purposed hero acts to subdue destructive forces (daityas) that threaten the worlds.

What is the narrative situation?

Immediately after being nurtured, the child demonstrates extraordinary power and defeats demon hosts.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vīrya (heroic strength) joined with protective intent: power is portrayed as legitimate when used to restrain chaos and harm.