Valmiki Ramayana 1.4.21: Bala Kanda, Sarga 4, Shloka 21

कुशिलवगानप्रशंसा · The Commissioning and Public Performance of the Rāmāyaṇa

Devanagari script

आश्चर्यमिदमाख्यानं मुनिना सम्प्रकीर्तितम् ।

परं कवीनामाधारं समाप्तं च यथाक्रमम् ॥२१॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 1.4.21

Transliteration

āścaryam idam ākhyānaṃ muninā samprakīrtitam |

paraṃ kavīnām ādhāraṃ samāptaṃ ca yathākramam ||21||

Translation

यह कहानी बहुत अजब है जो रिशि ने बताई। पूरा सिलसिलेवार ख़त्म हुई। कवियों के लिए यह सबसे बड़ा बेस है।

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Word by Word

• आश्चर्यम्: wonderful, astonishing
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āścarya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of आख्यानम्)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• इदम्: this
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण; deictic)

• आख्यानम्: narrative, epic account
• Type: Noun
• Root: ākhyāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)

• मुनिना: by the sage
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karaṇa (करण; agent in passive)

• सम्प्रकीर्तितम्: has been well narrated
• Type: Verb
• Root: samprakīrtita (कृदन्त; √kīrt (कीर्त्) + सम्+प्र + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि (PPP: 'has been proclaimed')
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया; passive predicate)

• परम्: supreme, excellent
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of आधारम्)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• कवीनाम्: of poets
• Type: Noun
• Root: kavi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• आधारम्: foundation, support
• Type: Noun
• Root: ādhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता; apposition/second predicate of आख्यानम्)

• समाप्तम्: completed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samāpta (कृदन्त; √āp (आप्) + सम् + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP)
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया; predicate adjective)

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

• यथाक्रमम्: in due order
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā + krama (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Compound: Avyayibhava

Sandhi Notes

• आश्चर्यमिदम् = आश्चर्यम् + इदम्
• इदमाख्यानम् = इदम् + आख्यानम्
• कवीनामाधारम् = कवीनाम् + आधारम्
• यथाक्रमम् = यथा + क्रमम् (अव्ययीभाव)

Context

This wonderful epic chronologically composed and completed by the sage (Valmiki), is the supreme source for poetry.

The teaching

A dharma-narrative gains enduring authority when it is wondrous yet orderly, complete, and fit to serve as a foundation for future creativity and instruction.

Ethical theme

Śāstra-pratiṣṭhā / vidyā

For your practice

Invites reverent study of Rāma-kathā as a complete sādhana-supporting text; encourages disciplined, sequential reading rather than fragmentary consumption.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Adbhuta (wonder), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Awe-filled, canonical, complete

Themes

• Itihasa
• Kavya
• Dharma
• Satya
• Textual authority

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Vālmīki

FAQs

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

Dharma is advanced by authoritative, well-ordered narration: a truthful epic becomes a standard for teaching and for responsible poetic creation.

What is the narrative situation?

The text characterizes Vālmīki’s Rāmāyaṇa as a complete, orderly work and a model for poets.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vālmīki’s compositional integrity—completeness, order, and reliability (satya) in presenting itihāsa.