Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 4, Shloka 13

कुशिलवगानप्रशंसा

The Commissioning and Public Performance of the Rāmāyaṇa

Devanagari script

तौ राजपुत्रौ कार्त्स्न्येन धर्म्यमाख्यानमुत्तमम्। वाचोविधेयं तत्सर्वं कृत्वा काव्यमनिन्दितौ।।1.4.12।। ऋषीणां च द्विजातीनां साधूनां च समागमे।यथोपदेशं तत्त्वज्ञौ जगतुस्सुसमाहितौ।।1.4.13।।

Transliteration

ṛṣīṇāṃ ca dvijātīnāṃ sādhūnāṃ ca samāgame | yathopadeśaṃ tattvajñau jagatuḥ susamāhitau || 1.4.13 ||

Translation

聖仙と二度生まれの学者と善き人々の集いにおいて、真理を知るその二人は深く心を定め、授けられたとおりに寸分違わず唱え上げた。

Word by Word

• tat: that (song)
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु) → śrutvā (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययभाव-क्त्वान्त (gerund): having heard

• munayaḥ: sages
• munayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• sarve: all
• sarve: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; मुनयः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• bāṣpa-paryākula-īkṣaṇāḥ: with tear-filled eyes
• bāṣpa-paryākula-īkṣaṇāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bāṣpa + paryākula + īkṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि (those whose eyes are filled/overwhelmed with tears)

• sādhu: excellent!
• sādhu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/utterance)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sādhu (अव्ययवत्; मूलतः प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रशंसा-अव्यय (interjection of approval)

• sādhu: excellent!
• sādhu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/utterance)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sādhu (अव्ययवत्)
• Form: प्रशंसा-अव्यय (repetition for emphasis)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यपरिसमाप्ति-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• tau: to those two (Kusa and Lava)
• tau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन

• ūcuḥ: said/exclaimed
• ūcuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• param: great
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विस्मयम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• vismayam: wonder
• vismayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vismaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• āgatāḥ: having attained/experienced
• āgatāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + √gam (धातु) → āgata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘having reached/experienced’

Context

These two princes blameless, disciplined and wellversed, committed to memory the whole epic and chanted as instructed in the assembly of rishis, brahmins and saints.

Characters & Entities

• Kūśa
• Lava
• ṛṣis (sages)
• dvijātis (twice-born/learned)
• sādhus (saints)

FAQs

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

Respect for instruction and truthfulness in transmission: dharma is upheld when sacred knowledge is presented exactly as taught, without distortion for personal display.

What is the narrative situation?

Kūśa and Lava publicly recite the epic before authoritative audiences (sages and learned elders), demonstrating both mastery and humility toward their teacher’s instruction.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Obedience to guidance (guru-śiṣya discipline) and mental composure—recitation requires both ethical restraint and focused attention.