Valmiki Ramayana 1.63.7: Bala Kanda, Sarga 63, Shloka 7

विश्वामित्रस्य तपोविघ्नः, मेनकाप्रसङ्गः, महर्षिपदप्रदानम्

Visvamitra’s Austerity Obstructed; Menaka Episode; Conferment of Maharshi Status

Devanagari script

इत्युक्ता सा वरारोहा तत्र वासमथाकरोत्।।।।तस्यां वसन्त्यां वर्षाणि पञ्च पञ्च च राघव ।विश्वामित्राश्रमे राम सुखेन व्यतिचक्रमु:।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 1.63.7

Transliteration

ity uktā sā varārohā tatra vāsam athākarot | tasyāṃ vasantyāṃ varṣāṇi pañca pañca ca rāghava | viśvāmitrāśrame rāma sukhena vyaticakramuḥ ||

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞപ്പോൾ ആ വരാരോഹിണി അവിടെ വാസമാരംഭിച്ചു. അവൾ വിശ്വാമിത്രാശ്രമത്തിൽ വസിക്കുമ്പോൾ, ഹേ രാഘവ—ഹേ രാമ—അഞ്ചും അഞ്ചും, അങ്ങനെ പത്ത് വർഷങ്ങൾ സുഖമായി കടന്നു.

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Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable particle), quotative ‘thus’ (इति-प्रयोग)

• uktā: having been spoken to / addressed
• uktā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vac (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta, past passive participle (क्त-प्रत्यय), feminine, nominative (प्रथमा) singular; agrees with सा

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma-subanta (pronoun), feminine, nominative (प्रथमा) singular

• varārohā: the noble lady (of exalted bearing)
• varārohā: Karta (कर्ता/apposition to सा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara + ārohā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: karmadhāraya (descriptive) ‘excellent + rider/one who mounts’; feminine, nominative (प्रथमा) singular

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, deictic adverb of place

• vāsam: dwelling, residence
• vāsam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, accusative (द्वितीया) singular

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, discourse particle ‘then/thereafter’

• akarot: made, took up
• akarot: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (लङ्, imperfect/past), parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथम-पुरुष) singular; ‘made/did’

• tasyām: in her (case) / while she
• tasyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative absolute support)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma-subanta, feminine, locative (सप्तमी) singular; ‘in/with regard to her’

• vasantyām: while (she was) living
• vasantyām: Kāla/Hetu (काल/हेतु in locative absolute)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vas (धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: Kṛdanta present participle (शतृ), feminine, locative (सप्तमी) singular; with तस्याम forming locative absolute

• varṣāṇi: years
• varṣāṇi: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण/duration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, accusative (द्वितीया) plural; duration-accusative

• pañca: five
• pañca: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañcan (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: Numeral (संख्या), indeclinable-like; used adjectivally with वर्षाणि

• pañca: five (again)
• pañca: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañcan (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: Numeral (संख्या), repetition for ‘five and five’ (= ten)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction

• rāghava: O Rāghava
• rāghava: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, vocative (सम्बोधन) singular

• viśvāmitra-āśrame: in Viśvāmitra’s hermitage
• viśvāmitra-āśrame: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśvāmitra (प्रातिपदिक) + āśrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘Viśvāmitra’s hermitage’; masculine, locative (सप्तमी) singular

• rāma: O Rāma
• rāma: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, vocative (सम्बोधन) singular

• sukhena: happily, with ease
• sukhena: Karaṇa (करण/instrument-manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, instrumental (तृतीया) singular; manner-instrumental

• vyaticakramuḥ: passed (by)
• vyaticakramuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ati + kram (धातु) with vi- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (लिट्, perfect), parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथम-पुरुष) plural; ‘passed (time)’

Context

There the most brilliant son of Kusika Viswamitra saw Menaka whose beauty was incomparable. She looked like lightning in the clouds.

Characters & Entities

• Menakā
• Viśvāmitra

FAQs

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

Time can silently erode one’s vows: Dharma is not only about a single choice but sustained fidelity to one’s purpose, especially for those who have undertaken ascetic commitments.

What is the narrative situation?

Menakā stays with Viśvāmitra, and a full decade passes in the hermitage.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implicit virtue is vigilance; the verse underscores how comfort (sukha) can become a subtle obstacle to austerity and steadfastness.