Shloka 2

Instruction on All Dharma

in the context of Rāma’s Aśvamedha

Devanagari script

अगस्त्य उवाच । गंगाजलसमानेन वर्णेन वपुषा शुभः । कर्णे श्यामो मुखे रक्तः पीतः पुच्छे सुलक्षितः

Transliteration

agastya uvāca | gaṃgājalasamānena varṇena vapuṣā śubhaḥ | karṇe śyāmo mukhe raktaḥ pītaḥ pucche sulakṣitaḥ

Translation

അഗസ്ത്യൻ പറഞ്ഞു—അവന്റെ ദേഹരൂപം മംഗളകരം; വർണം ഗംഗാജലത്തിനെപ്പോലെ. ചെവികൾ ശ്യാമം, മുഖം രക്തവർണം, വാൽ പീതവർണം—ഈ ശുഭലക്ഷണങ്ങളാൽ വ്യക്തമായി അടയാളപ്പെടുന്നു.

Word by Word

• agastyaḥ: Agastya
• agastyaḥ: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agastya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (Speech act/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: लिट्; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• gaṃgā-jala-samānena: with a color like Ganges water
• gaṃgā-jala-samānena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gaṃgā + jala + samāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक-समासान्त विशेषण; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (‘equal to Ganges-water’)

• varṇena: by color
• varṇena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, एकवचन

• vapuṣā: by body/appearance
• vapuṣā: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vapus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया, एकवचन

• śubhaḥ: auspicious, handsome
• śubhaḥ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• karṇe: in the ear(s)
• karṇe: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन

• śyāmaḥ: dark
• śyāmaḥ: Karta (Predicate/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śyāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• mukhe: on the face
• mukhe: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन

• raktaḥ: red
• raktaḥ: Karta (Predicate/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rakta (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-प्रायः)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• pītaḥ: yellow
• pītaḥ: Karta (Predicate/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pīta (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-प्रायः)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• pucche: in the tail
• pucche: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puccha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन

• su-lakṣitaḥ: well-marked, clearly distinguished
• su-lakṣitaḥ: Karta (Predicate/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय-उपसर्ग) + lakṣita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘well-marked’)

Speaker

Agastya

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: river

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: gaṃgājalasamānena = gaṃgā-jala-samānena; su-lakṣitaḥ is a prefixed adjective (su + lakṣitaḥ).

Characters & Entities

• Agastya
• Gaṅgā

FAQs

Who is speaking in this verse, and what is he describing?

The speaker is the sage Agastya, describing an auspicious figure identified by specific colors/marks on different body parts.

Why is Gaṅgā water used as a comparison for complexion?

Gaṅgā is a paradigmatic symbol of purity and auspiciousness; comparing complexion to Gaṅgā water conveys sanctity, clarity, and благоприятность (auspicious quality) in a culturally resonant way.

What is the ethical or spiritual takeaway from this verse?

The verse highlights discernment through “lakṣaṇas” (recognizable signs): spiritual narratives often teach careful recognition of auspicious qualities rather than being misled by superficial appearance alone.