Valmiki Ramayana 2.32.13: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 32, Shloka 13

द्वात्रिंशस्सर्गः · Gifts to Suyajna and the Brahmins; Trijata’s Petition and Rama’s Charity

Spoken by Rama to Lakṣmaṇa

Devanagari script

अगस्त्यं कौशिकं चैव तावुभौ ब्राह्मणोत्तमौ ।

अर्चयाहूय सौमित्रे रत्नैस्सस्यमिवाम्बुभिः ॥१३॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.32.13

Transliteration

agastyaṃ kauśikaṃ caiva tāv ubhau brāhmaṇottamau |

arcayāhūya saumitre ratnaiḥ sasyam ivāmbubhiḥ ||13||

Translation

హే సౌమిత్రి (లక్ష్మణా), అగస్త్యుడిని మరియు కౌశికుడిని—ఆ ఇద్దరు బ్రాహ్మణోత్తములను—ఆహ్వానించి అర్చించు; వర్షజలం నిలిచిన పంటను పోషించినట్లు, రత్నాదిదానాలతో వారిని గౌరవించు।

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Word by Word

• agastyam: Agastya
• Type: Noun
• Root: agastya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; proper name
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• kauśikam: Kausika
• Type: Noun
• Root: kauśika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; proper name (Viśvāmitra)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction
• Role: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)

• eva: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निश्चय/अवधारण)
• Role: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)

• tau: those two
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual (द्विवचन)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• ubhau: both
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual; agreeing with tau
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• brāhmaṇottamau: the two best brahmins
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa-uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual; कर्मधारय: brāhmaṇau uttamau = two best brahmins
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• arcaya: worship / honor
• Type: Verb
• Root: √arc (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd Person, Singular; parasmaipada
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• āhūya: having invited
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√hū (धातु) + lyap (ल्यप्)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्): 'having invited/called'
• Role: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)

• saumitre: O Saumitri (Lakshmana)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saumitri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)

• ratnaiḥ: with jewels
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• sasyam: crops
• Type: Noun
• Root: sasya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; object implied in simile
• Role: Upameya (उपमेय)

• iva: like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Simile marker
• Role: Upamādyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)

• ambubhiḥ: with waters (rain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ambu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural
• Role: Upamāna-karaṇa (उपमान-करण)

Sandhi Notes

• kauśikaṅ caiva → kauśikam + ca + eva
• tāvubhau → tau + ubhau
• a rcayāhūya → arcaya + āhūya
• ratnaissasyamivāmbubhiḥ → ratnaiḥ + sasyam + iva + ambubhiḥ

Context

O Lakshmana! invite Agastya and Kausika, the two celebrated brahmins, and bestow on them with reverence plenty of precious gems like showers of rain on standing crops.

The teaching

Honor the foremost brāhmaṇas with timely invitation and generous gifts; dāna sustains society as rain sustains crops.

Ethical theme

Dāna-dharma / atithi-dharma

For your practice

Practice of dāna and reverence to sages as a daily discipline for humility and purification.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shanta (peace), with Adbhuta (wonder)

Mood

Reverent, ritual, generous

Themes

• Dharma
• Maryada
• Itihasa
• Ethics
• Dāna (charity)
• Brahmin-honour

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa (Saumitrī)
• Agastya
• Kauśika (Viśvāmitra)

FAQs

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

Dāna and satkāra: dharma requires honoring venerable sages with sincere hospitality and generous gifts, especially those who uphold sacred learning.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma directs Lakṣmaṇa to invite and honor eminent sages as part of a formal distribution of gifts to worthy recipients.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reverence toward spiritual authority: Rāma’s conduct highlights respect for rishis and brahmins as guardians of dharma and truth.