Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 1, Shloka 27

गुणप्रशंसा–युवराजनिर्णयः

Praise of Rama’s Virtues and the Decision on the Heir-Apparent

Devanagari script

श्रैष्ठ्यं शास्त्रसमूहेषु प्राप्तो व्यामिश्रकेषु च।अर्थधमौ च सङ्गृह्य सुखतन्त्रो न चालसः।।।।

Transliteration

śraiṣṭhyaṃ śāstrasamūheṣu prāpto vyāmiśrakeṣu ca | arthadharmau ca saṅgṛhya sukhatantraḥ na cālasaḥ ||

Translation

ພຣະອົງບັນລຸຄວາມເລີດລ້ຳໃນຫມູ່ຄຳພີສາດສະຕຣາ ແລະໃນວິຊາທີ່ສອດປະສານກັນຫຼາຍສາຂາ. ເມື່ອຊຳນານອັດຖະ (ລັດຖະສາດ) ແລະ ທັມມະ (ຄວາມຊອບທຳ) ກ່ອນແລ້ວ ຈຶ່ງເຂົ້າສູ່ສຸຂະ—ແລະບໍ່ເຄີຍເກີດຄວາມເກຍດຄ້ານເລີຍ

Word by Word

• श्रैष्ठ्यम्: excellence; proficiency
• श्रैष्ठ्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रैष्ठ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• शास्त्र-समूहेषु: in collections of scriptures/treatises
• शास्त्र-समूहेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + समूह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpurusha), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• प्राप्तः: having attained; obtained
• प्राप्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (agreeing with implied subject)

• व्यामिश्रकेषु: in mixed/interconnected (branches)
• व्यामिश्रकेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्या + मिश्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अर्थ-धर्मौ: artha and dharma
• अर्थ-धर्मौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (copulative), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), द्विवचन (Dual)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सङ्गृह्य: having grasped; having comprehended
• सङ्गृह्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial to main predicate)

• सुख-तन्त्रः: guided by ease/comfort; pleasure-oriented
• सुख-तन्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + तन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• आलसः: lazy; indolent
• आलसः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आलस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

He obtained proficiency in scriptures and interconnected (mutually contradictory) branches of learning. Only after having grasped the (philosophy of) artha (statecraft) and dharma (righteousness), he sought pleasure. He was never indolent.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• artha
• dharma

FAQs

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

Pleasure (sukha/kāma) is not rejected, but it is to be pursued only after understanding and grounding oneself in dharma and artha—showing ordered life-goals and disciplined priorities.

What is the narrative situation?

The narration is listing Rāma’s qualifications and virtues as the ideal prince, especially his learning and balanced approach to life.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-discipline and diligence: he is learned, grasps dharma and artha first, and is explicitly described as not lazy.