Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 63, Shloka 11

विश्वामित्रस्य तपोविघ्नः, मेनकाप्रसङ्गः, महर्षिपदप्रदानम्

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

Devanagari script

अहोरात्रापदेशेन गतास्संवत्सरा दश।काममोहाभिभूतस्य विघ्नोऽयं समुपस्थित:।।।।

Transliteration

aho-rātrāpadēśena gatāḥ saṃvatsarā daśa | kāma-mohābhibhūtasya vighno ’yaṃ samupasthitaḥ ||

Translation

‘दिवस-रात्र’ या बहाण्याने माझी दहा वर्षे निघून गेली; काम-मोहाने ग्रासलेल्या माझ्या तपस्येला हा विघ्न आता समोर आला आहे।’

Word by Word

• viniśśvasan: sighing
• viniśśvasan: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni-śvas (धातु) with vi- (उपसर्ग) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: Kṛdanta present participle (शतृ), masculine, nominative (प्रथमा) singular; agrees with munivaraḥ

• munivaraḥ: the best sage
• munivaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni + vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: karmadhāraya ‘best of sages’; masculine, nominative (प्रथमा) singular

• paścāttāpena: with remorse
• paścāttāpena: Karaṇa (करण/cause-means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paścāttāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, instrumental (तृतीया) singular

• duḥkhitaḥ: distressed
• duḥkhitaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duḥkhita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, nominative (प्रथमा) singular; predicate adjective to munivaraḥ

• bhītām: frightened
• bhītām: Karma (कर्म/object of dṛṣṭvā)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhīta (प्रातिपदिक; from bhī धातु + क्त)
• Form: Feminine, accusative (द्वितीया) singular; qualifies menakām/apsarasam (context)

• apsarasam: the apsaras
• apsarasam: Karma (कर्म/object of dṛṣṭvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apsaras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, accusative (द्वितीया) singular

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा), indeclinable verbal form; prior action to main verb

• vepantīm: trembling
• vepantīm: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vep (धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: Kṛdanta present participle (शतृ), feminine, accusative (द्वितीया) singular; qualifies apsarasam/menakām

• prāñjalim: with joined palms
• prāñjalim: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prāñjali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, accusative (द्वितीया) singular; ‘with folded hands’

• sthitām: standing
• sthitām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthā (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta PPP (क्त), feminine, accusative (द्वितीया) singular; qualifies apsarasam/menakām

• menakām: Menakā
• menakām: Karma (कर्म/object of visṛjya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: menakā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, accusative (द्वितीया) singular

• madhuraiḥ: sweet
• madhuraiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madhura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter/masculine, instrumental (तृतीया) plural; agrees with vākyaiḥ

• vākyaiḥ: with words
• vākyaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, instrumental (तृतीया) plural

• visṛjya: having dismissed / letting (her) go
• visṛjya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sṛj (धातु) + lyap (ल्यप्) with vi- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: Absolutive (ल्यप्/क्त्वार्थ), indeclinable; ‘having dismissed/let go’

• kuśika-ātmajaḥ: the son of Kuśika
• kuśika-ātmajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuśika (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘son of Kuśika’; masculine, nominative (प्रथमा) singular; apposition to viśvāmitraḥ

• uttaram: northern
• uttaram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, accusative (द्वितीया) singular; agrees with parvatam

• parvatam: mountain
• parvatam: Karma (कर्म/object of jagāma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parvata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, accusative (द्वितीया) singular

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

• viśvāmitraḥ: Viśvāmitra
• viśvāmitraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśvāmitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, nominative (प्रथमा) singular

• jagāma: went
• jagāma: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (लिट्, perfect), parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथम-पुरुष) singular

• ha: indeed
• ha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, emphatic particle (पादपूरण/निपात)

Context

Night and day deluded by lust I have wasted ten years. A hindrance has been posed (to my tapas).

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• Kāma (desire, as a concept)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes truthful self-assessment: recognizing how kāma and moha waste time and weaken vows, and naming the lapse without excuse is the first step toward restoration.

What is the narrative situation?

Viśvāmitra realizes that a long period has slipped away in distraction, interpreting it as a serious hindrance to his spiritual goal.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The virtue is moral honesty and renewed resolve—admitting error and preparing to re-establish discipline.