Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 38, Shloka 11

सगरस्य पुत्रलाभः

Sagara’s Boons, Progeny, and the Rise of the Sixty Thousand

Devanagari script

तयोस्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा भृगु: परमधार्मिक:।उवाच परमां वाणीं स्वच्छन्दोऽत्र विधीयताम्।।।।

Transliteration

tayos tad-vacanaṃ śrutvā bhṛguḥ parama-dhārmikaḥ | uvāca paramāṃ vāṇīṃ svacchando ’tra vidhīyatām || 1.38.11 ||

Translation

Mendengar permohonan mereka, Bhṛgu yang amat dharmika pun mengucapkan jawapan yang luhur: “Dalam hal ini, biarlah pilihanmu sendiri dilaksanakan.”

Word by Word

• तयोः: of the two / their
• तयोः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/षष्ठी), द्विवचन (Dual), सर्वनाम (Pronoun)

• तत्-वचनम्: those words / that statement
• तत्-वचनम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्मपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध-तत्पुरुषः (determinative: 'that' + 'speech')

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (prior action)

• भृगुः: Bhrigu
• भृगुः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृगु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• परमधार्मिकः: supremely virtuous
• परमधार्मिकः: विशेषण (Adjectival to कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परमधार्मिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (parama + dhārmika = 'supremely righteous')

• उवाच: said / spoke
• उवाच: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• परमाम्: excellent / highest
• परमाम्: विशेषण (Adjectival to कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies vāṇīm)

• वाणीम्: speech / statement
• वाणीम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्मपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• स्वच्छन्दः: free will / choice
• स्वच्छन्दः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वच्छन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (sva + chanda = 'one’s own will/free choice')

• अत्र: here / in this matter
• अत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), देश/विषय-अव्यय (locative adverb: 'here/in this matter')

• विधीयताम्: let it be exercised / let it be done
• विधीयताम्: क्रिया (Injunctive/imperative action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु) उपसर्गः वि-
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive voice); विधीयताम् = 'let it be done/ordained'

Context

Hearing their words, highly virtuous Bhrugu made an excellent statement saying, 'In this matter, you may exercise your free will'.

Characters & Entities

• Bhṛgu
• Keśinī
• Sumatī

FAQs

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

Responsible agency: Dharma recognizes that recipients of boons must choose wisely, and that choice carries consequences.

What is the narrative situation?

Bhṛgu responds to the queens’ question by granting them the freedom to decide which outcome they prefer.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fairness and compassion in counsel: Bhṛgu empowers them rather than imposing a decision.