Valmiki Ramayana 1.38.16: Bala Kanda, Sarga 38, Shloka 16

सगरस्य पुत्रलाभः · Sagara’s Boons, Progeny, and the Rise of the Sixty Thousand

Devanagari script

अथ काले गते तस्मिन् ज्येष्ठा पुत्रं व्यजायत ।

असमञ्ज इति ख्यातं केशिनी सगरात्मजम् ॥१६॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 1.38.16

Transliteration

atha kāle gate tasmin jyeṣṭhā putraṃ vyajāyata |

asamañja iti khyātaṃ keśinī sagarātmajam ||16||

Translation

कुछ टाइम बाद बड़ी रानी केशिनी ने एक बेटा पैदा किया। उसका नाम असमंजा रखा। यह सगर राजा का बेटा था। लोग उससे असमंजा के नाम से जानते थे।

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Word by Word

• अथ: then / thereafter
• अथ: निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (sequencing particle)

• काले: in time / at a time
• काले: अधिकरण (Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• गते: having passed / elapsed
• गते: सति-सप्तमी (Absolute construction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute) with kāle

• तस्मिन्: in that (time)
• तस्मिन्: अधिकरण (in that)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (with kāle gate)

• ज्येष्ठा: the eldest (wife)
• ज्येष्ठा: कर्ता
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (eldest wife)

• पुत्रम्: a son
• पुत्रम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• व्यजायत: gave birth
• व्यजायत: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) उपसर्गः वि-
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• असमञ्जः: Asamañja (Asamañjasa)
• असमञ्जः: सम्बन्ध/विशेष्य (apposition to putram)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असमञ्ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• इति: thus / by the name
• इति: निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/नामनिर्देश-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• ख्यातम्: known (as)
• ख्यातम्: विशेषण/विधेय (predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ख्या (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here predicative: 'known as'

• केशिनी: Keśinī
• केशिनी: कर्ता
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सगर-आत्मजम्: Sagara’s son
• सगर-आत्मजम्: कर्म (appositional)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सगर (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ('son of Sagara'); apposition to putram

Context

After lapse of some time, the eldest wife Kesini gave birth to a son well-known by name Asamanjasa.

Characters & Entities

• Sagara
• Keśinī
• Asamañja

FAQs

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

The verse frames lineage as a dharmic responsibility: the birth of an heir is presented as significant for continuity of righteous rule and social order.

What is the narrative situation?

The story moves from Sagara’s ritual encounters/blessings to the fulfillment of progeny through his elder queen.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Duty toward dynastic continuity—an implicit ideal for kingship in epic ethics.