Shloka 31

आदित्यहृदयम्

Aditya Hridayam Upadeśa — Agastya’s Instruction to Rāma

Transliteration

atha ravi-ravadanaṃ nirīkṣya rāmaṃ mudita-manāḥ paramaṃ praharṣayamāṇaḥ |

niśācara-pati-saṅkṣayaṃ viditvā sura-gaṇa-madhya-gato vacas tvarer iti avadat ||

Translation

അപ്പോൾ സൂര്യദേവൻ രാമനെ കണ്ടു ഹൃദയം ആനന്ദത്തോടെ നിറഞ്ഞു, മഹാഹർഷത്തിൽ മുങ്ങി. നിശാചരാധിപനായ രാവണന്റെ നാശം നിശ്ചിതമാണെന്ന് അറിഞ്ഞ്, സമവേത ദേവഗണങ്ങളുടെ മദ്ധ്യത്തിൽ നിന്നു വചനം ഉച്ചരിച്ചു: “ശീഘ്രം മുന്നേറുക!”

Word by Word

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connecting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), discourse particle (अनन्तरार्थक)

• ravi-vadana-nirīkṣaya: by looking at (his) sun-like face
• ravi-vadana-nirīkṣaya: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ravi (प्रातिपदिक) + vadana (प्रातिपदिक) + nirīkṣā (प्रातिपदिक) (समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; हेतु/करणार्थे (by/through the act of looking at the sun-like face)

• rāmam: Rama
• rāmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• muditamanāḥ: whose mind was delighted
• muditamanāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mudita (कृदन्त, √mud) + manas (प्रातिपदिक) (समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: यस्य मनः मुदितम् सः

• paramam: exceedingly
• paramam: Visheshana (विशेषण/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण (adverbial accusative)

• para-hṛṣayamāṇaḥ: gladdening others
• para-hṛṣayamāṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hṛṣ (धातु) + ya (णिच् causative) + māna (शतृ/वर्तमान कृदन्त) with para (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present participle), पर- (others) हर्षयन् (causing joy)

• niśicara-pati-saṅkṣayam: the destruction of the lord of night-rangers (Ravana)
• niśicara-pati-saṅkṣayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niśicara (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक) + saṅkṣaya (प्रातिपदिक) (समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: निशिचराणां पतिः (रावणः) तस्य संक्षयः

• vidita-vāsura-gaṇam: known to the hosts of gods
• vidita-vāsura-gaṇam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vidita (कृदन्त, √vid) + vāsura (प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) (समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष: विदितः वासुरगणः यस्य (known to the hosts of gods)

• adhyagataḥ: having understood/attained
• adhyagataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: adhi-√gam (धातु) (क्त/भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) = ‘having obtained/learned’

• vacasaḥ: of (his) words
• vacasaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (or प्रथमा/द्वितीया बहुवचन possible in some recensions); here: genitive ‘of the words/speech’

• tata-vara: O best of fathers / dear sire
• tata-vara: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tata (प्रातिपदिक) + vara (प्रातिपदिक) (समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/सम्बोधन, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: तातः एव वरः (best of fathers / dear father)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक (quotative particle)

Context

"Rama! Listen to this sacred mantra, 'Aditya Hridayam' which can bring victory, which is eternal, very auspicious, and supremely blessed and prolongs life of all by means of which you will destroy all enemies, root out sins, remove anxiety and always bring victory.

Characters & Entities

• Āditya (Sun)
• Rāma
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma is affirmed by divine witness: when one acts for truth and justice, the cosmos is portrayed as supporting timely, decisive action.

What is the narrative situation?

As Rāma moves to fight, Āditya appears (or is poetically described as responding) and urges him onward, indicating Rāvaṇa’s downfall is near.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Promptness in duty: encouragement to act without delay once clarity and resolve have been attained.