Valmiki Ramayana 1.13.23: Bala Kanda, Sarga 13, Shloka 23

हयमेध

यज्ञोपक्रमः · Commencement of the Aśvamedha Preparations

Devanagari script

तथा केकयराजानं वृद्धं परमधार्मिकम् ।

श्वशुरं राजसिंहस्य सपुत्रं त्वमिहानय ॥२३॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 1.13.23

Transliteration

tathā kekayarājānaṃ vṛddhaṃ paramadhārmikam |

śvaśuraṃ rājasiṃhasya saputraṃ tvam ihānaya ||23||

Translation

Sprowadź również tutaj sędziwego króla Kekaji, najwyższego w prawości dharmy - teścia lwa pośród królów - razem z jego synami.

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Word by Word

• tathā: then/likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

• kāśī-patim: the lord of Kāśī
• kāśī-patim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśī (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• snigdham: affectionate
• snigdham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: snigdha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); viśeṣaṇa of kāśīpatim/vayasyam

• satatam: always
• satatam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial accusative (क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण द्वितीया)

• priya-vādinam: speaking pleasantly
• priya-vādinam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक) + vādin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• vayasyam: friend
• vayasyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vayasya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); apposition to kāśīpatim

• rāja-siṃhasya: of the lion among kings
• rāja-siṃhasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāja (प्रातिपदिक) + siṃha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• svayam: personally
• svayam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (स्वयम्-अव्यय)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण-अव्यय)

• ānayasva: bring
• ānayasva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nī (धातु)
• Form: Upasarga: ā- (आ), Lakāra: Loṭ (लोट्, Imperative), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), Puruṣa: Madhyama (मध्यम), Vachana: Eka (एकवचन)

• ha: indeed (particle)
• ha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (पादपूरण/स्मरणार्थक-अव्यय)

Context

Likewise bring here the aged and very righteous king of Kekaya along with his sons. He is father-in-law to this lion among kings (Dasaratha).

Characters & Entities

• Kekaya
• Daśaratha

FAQs

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

Dharma is shown as honoring elders and kinship ties (śvaśura-sambandha) while assembling righteous participants for sacred rites.

What is the narrative situation?

Vasiṣṭha instructs Sumantra to invite the Kekaya king, noting both his righteousness and his family relation to Daśaratha.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The Kekaya king is characterized by paramadharma—exemplary righteousness—together with venerable age and family responsibility.