HomeRamayanaBala KandaSarga 10Shloka 12

Shloka 12

कस्त्वं किं वर्तसे ब्रह्मन् ज्ञातुमिच्छामहे वयम्।एकस्त्वं विजने घोरे वने चरसि शंस न:।। ।।

kas tvaṃ kiṃ vartase brahman jñātum icchāmahe vayam |

ekas tvaṃ vijane ghore vane carasi śaṃsa naḥ ||

ឱ ព្រាហ្មណ៍! អ្នកជានរណា ហើយអ្នករក្សាជីវិតដោយរបៀបណា? យើងចង់ដឹងថា ហេតុអ្វីអ្នកដើរតែម្នាក់ឯងក្នុងព្រៃដ៏គួរភ័យ និងស្ងាត់ស្ងៀមនេះ សូមប្រាប់យើងផង។

kaḥwho
kaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootkim (प्रातिपदिक)
FormSarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
tvamyou
tvam:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootyusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormSarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
kimhow/what
kim:
Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootkim (प्रातिपदिक)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय), interrogative particle (प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय)
vartaseyou live/subsist
vartase:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvṛt (धातु)
FormLakāra: Laṭ (लट्, Present), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), Puruṣa: Madhyama (मध्यम), Vachana: Eka (एकवचन)
brahmanO Brahmin/O Brahman
brahman:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootbrahman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Vocative (8/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)
jñātumto know
jñātum:
Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
TypeVerb
Rootjñā (धातु)
FormTumun-anta infinitive (तुमुनन्त), ‘to know’
icchāmahewe wish/desire
icchāmahe:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootiṣ (धातु)
FormLakāra: Laṭ (लट्, Present), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), Puruṣa: Uttama (उत्तम), Vachana: Bahu (बहुवचन)
vayamwe
vayam:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormSarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)
ekaḥalone
ekaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rooteka (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); viśeṣaṇa of tvam
tvamyou
tvam:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootyusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormSarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
vijanein a lonely place
vijane:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootvijana (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); used adjectivally ‘in a lonely (place)’
ghoreterrible
ghore:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootghora (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); viśeṣaṇa of vane
vanein the forest
vane:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootvana (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)
carasiyou roam
carasi:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootcar (धातु)
FormLakāra: Laṭ (लट्, Present), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Puruṣa: Madhyama (मध्यम), Vachana: Eka (एकवचन)
śaṃsatell
śaṃsa:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootśaṃs (धातु)
FormLakāra: Loṭ (लोट्, Imperative), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Puruṣa: Madhyama (मध्यम), Vachana: Eka (एकवचन)
naḥto us/for us
naḥ:
Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormSarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Genitive (6/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); enclitic

'O brahman! Who are you? How are you subsisting? We wish to know why you are roaming alone in this dreadful forest? Could you tell us.'

Ṛśyaśṛṅga
F
forest (vana)

FAQs

The verse centers on satya and transparency in speech—questions invite truthful identity and life-practice, while also showing how inquiry can be a tool of manipulation.

The women initiate conversation with Ṛśyaśṛṅga, asking about his identity and solitary life in the forest.

On the surface: civility and curiosity; in context: calculated persuasion aimed at drawing him out of isolation.