Valmiki Ramayana 1.52.2 — Bala Kanda, Sarga 52, Shloka 2

वसिष्ठ-आतिथ्यं

Vasiṣṭha’s Hospitality to Viśvāmitra and the Summoning of Śabalā/Kāmadhenu

Devanagari script

स्वागतं तव चेत्युक्तो वसिष्ठेन महात्मना।आसनं चास्य भगवान् वसिष्ठो व्यादिदेश ह।।।।

Transliteration

svāgataṃ tava cety ukto vasiṣṭhena mahātmanā |

āsanaṃ cāsya bhagavān vasiṣṭho vyādideśa ha ||

Translation

മഹാത്മാവായ ഭഗവാൻ വസിഷ്ഠൻ ‘സ്വാഗതം’ എന്നു പറഞ്ഞു അവനെ ആദരിച്ചു; അവനുവേണ്ടി ഒരു ആസനം ഒരുക്കുവാൻ നിർദേശിക്കുകയും ചെയ്തു.

Word by Word

• स्वागतम्: welcome
• स्वागतम्: Karma (कर्म) / Vākyārtha (uttered content)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वागत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उक्ति-रूपेण (as an utterance: "welcome")

• तव: to you / your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

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

• इति: thus
• इति: Vākyaprayojaka (वाक्यप्रयोजक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्य-समाप्ति-सूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• उक्तः: was addressed / was spoken to
• उक्तः: Karta (कर्ता) of implied passive / Predicative to subject
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे कर्तृ-निर्देशः तृतीया

• वसिष्ठेन: by Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठेन: Kartr̥ (कर्ता) in passive (करण/कर्तृ-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• महात्मना: by the great-souled
• महात्मना: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषणम् वसिष्ठेन इत्यस्य; समासः: महा + आत्मन् (कर्मधारय)

• आसनम्: a seat
• आसनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: also
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अस्य: for him / of him
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• भगवान्: the venerable one
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेष्यः वसिष्ठः

• वसिष्ठः: Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• व्यादिदेश: ordered / directed
• व्यादिदेश: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दिश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; उपसर्ग: वि-आ-

• ह: indeed
• ह: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

Context

Adorable Vasishta received Viswamitra with words of welcome and ordered a seat for him.

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Viśvāmitra

FAQs

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

Atithi-dharma (the duty of honoring a guest): welcoming respectfully and offering a proper seat, regardless of status or past tensions.

What is the narrative situation?

Viśvāmitra arrives at Vasiṣṭha’s hermitage; Vasiṣṭha formally receives him with hospitality.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vasiṣṭha’s maryādā (propriety) and steadiness in righteous conduct—he begins with courteous reception.