Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 9, Shloka 10

ऋश्यशृङ्गानयनकथा — The Account of Bringing Ṛśyaśṛṅga

and the Remedy for Drought

Devanagari script

भवन्तश्श्रुतधर्माणो लोकचारित्रवेदिन: ।समादिशन्तु नियमं प्रायश्चित्तं यथा भवेत् ।।।।

Transliteration

bhavantaḥ śrutadharmāṇo lokacāritravidinaḥ | samādiśantu niyamaṃ prāyaścittaṃ yathā bhavet ||

Translation

“നിങ്ങൾ ശാസ്ത്രധർമ്മം ശ്രവിച്ചു അറിഞ്ഞവരും ലോകാചാരത്തിൽ പ്രാവീണ്യമുള്ളവരുമാണ്. പ്രായശ്ചിത്തം സിദ്ധിക്കേണ്ടതിന് ഏതു നിയമം ആചരിക്കണം—ദയവായി എന്നെ ഉപദേശിക്കൂ।”

Word by Word

• bhavantaḥ: you (gentlemen)
• bhavantaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavant (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun-like honorific; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• śruta-dharmāṇaḥ: versed in dharma
• śruta-dharmāṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śruta (प्रातिपदिक) + dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound (समास) tatpuruṣa (‘having heard/learned dharma’); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifies ‘bhavantaḥ’

• loka-cāritra-vedinaḥ: knowers of worldly custom
• loka-cāritra-vedinaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक) + cāritra (प्रातिपदिक) + vedin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound (समास) tatpuruṣa (‘knowers of worldly conduct’); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifies ‘bhavantaḥ’

• sam-ādiśantu: may (you) prescribe/instruct
• sam-ādiśantu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√diś (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (लोट्, Imperative), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• niyamam: a rule/observance
• niyamam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• prāyaścittam: expiation
• prāyaścittam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāyaścitta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• yathā: so that/as
• yathā: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction/adverb ‘as/so that/in such a way that’

• bhavet: may be/should happen
• bhavet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Liṅ (लिङ्, Optative/Potential), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Context

"All of you are conversant with righteous duties and well-versed in the study of human nature. Instruct me about the means of expiation through religious observance."

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• brāhmaṇas (implied)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes accountability and correction: the king seeks prāyaścitta through disciplined observance, showing that rulers must address obstacles through righteous means.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha appeals to those expert in scripture and human affairs to prescribe a religious discipline that will remove impediments and enable success.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Respect for learned authority and self-regulation: he asks to be instructed rather than acting impulsively.