Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 4, Shloka 1

कुशिलवगानप्रशंसा

The Commissioning and Public Performance of the Rāmāyaṇa

Devanagari script

प्राप्तराज्यस्य रामस्य वाल्मीकिर्भगवानृषि:।चकार चरितं कृत्स्नं विचित्रपदमात्मवान्।।1.4.1।।

Transliteration

prāptarājyasya rāmasya vālmīkir bhagavān ṛṣiḥ | cakāra caritaṃ kṛtsnaṃ vicitrapadam ātmavān || 1.4.1 ||

Translation

霊妙なる洞察を具えた福徳の聖仙ヴァールミーキは、王国を取り戻したラーマの全き物語を、妙なる変化に富む韻文として編み成した。

Word by Word

• catur-viṃśat-sahasrāṇi: twenty-four thousand
• catur-viṃśat-sahasrāṇi: Karma (कर्म) (count-object of ‘uktavān’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur (प्रातिपदिक) + viṃśati (प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (numeral compound: 24,000), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• ślokānām: of verses
• ślokānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śloka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• uktavān: recited/uttered
• uktavān: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु) + kta-vat (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past active participle: ‘having spoken/recited’), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; finite sense with implied ‘asti’

• ṛṣiḥ: the sage
• ṛṣiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• tathā: also/likewise
• tathā: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb/conjunctive: ‘also/and likewise’)

• sarga-śatān: hundreds of cantos
• sarga-śatān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarga (प्रातिपदिक) + śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Genitive Tatpuruṣa: ‘sargāṇāṃ śatāni’), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• pañca: five
• pañca: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pañca (अव्यय/संख्याशब्द)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-अव्यय (numeral indeclinable)

• ṣaṭ-kāṇḍāni: six books (kāṇḍas)
• ṣaṭ-kāṇḍāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaṭ (संख्या) + kāṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (numeral compound: ‘six kāṇḍas’), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• tathā: also
• tathā: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb/conjunctive)

• uttaram: and the Uttara (book) besides
• uttaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uttara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (as ‘Uttaram (kāṇḍam)’ understood)

Context

The divine sage Valmiki, composed in wonderful lines the entire life-story of Rama who regained his kingdom.

Characters & Entities

• Vālmīki
• Rāma
• rājya (kingdom)

FAQs

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

The dharmic ideal is that righteous life (Rāma’s) becomes a normative model when preserved truthfully in itihāsa; literature safeguards dharma by transmitting exemplary conduct across generations.

What is the narrative situation?

After Rāma’s restoration to kingship, Vālmīki composes the complete story in refined poetic form, establishing the Rāmāyaṇa as an authoritative record.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vālmīki’s wisdom and disciplined creativity—using art in service of truth (satya) and moral instruction (dharma).