Valmiki Ramayana 1.2.18: Bala Kanda, Sarga 2, Shloka 18

द्वितीयः सर्गः — श्लोकप्रादुर्भावः

The Manifestation of the Śloka

Devanagari script

पादबद्धोऽक्षरसमस्तन्त्रीलयसमन्वित: ।शोकार्तस्य प्रवृत्तो मे श्लोको भवतु नान्यथा ।।1.2.18।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 1.2.18

Transliteration

pādabaddho 'kṣarasamas tantrīlayasamanvitaḥ |

śokārtasya pravṛtto me śloko bhavatu nānyathā ||1.2.18||

Translation

ขอให้ถ้อยคำที่บังเกิดจากข้าพเจ้าเพราะความโศกนั้น เรียกว่า “ศฺโลกะ” — ผูกไว้ด้วยบาทฉันท์ เสมอกันด้วยพยางค์ และประกอบพร้อมด้วยทำนองและจังหวะ; ขอให้เป็นเช่นนั้น มิใช่อย่างอื่น

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Word by Word

• पादबद्धः: bound into metrical feet (in pādas)
• पादबद्धः: विशेषणम् (कर्तृ/विषय-सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + बद्ध (कृदन्त; √बन्ध् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; भूतकृदन्तः (क्त), विशेषणम्

• अक्षरसमः: equal in syllables
• अक्षरसमः: विशेषणम् (कर्तृ/विषय-सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• तन्त्रीलयसमन्वितः: endowed with rhythm and string-accompaniment (tuned to lute and tempo)
• तन्त्रीलयसमन्वितः: विशेषणम् (कर्तृ/विषय-सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तन्त्री (प्रातिपदिक) + लय (प्रातिपदिक) + समन्वित (कृदन्त; सम्+√इ धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; भूतकृदन्तः (क्त), विशेषणम्

• शोकार्तस्य: of one afflicted by sorrow
• शोकार्तस्य: षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः (हेतुभाव/अधिकारः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोक (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (कृदन्त; √ऋ धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; (शोक-आर्त) इति समासान्त-प्रातिपदिकम्; सम्बन्ध/अधिकारार्थे

• प्रवृत्तः: arisen, set forth (spontaneously)
• प्रवृत्तः: विशेषणम् (श्लोकस्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रवृत्त (कृदन्त; प्र+√वृत् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; भूतकृदन्तः (क्त), विशेषणम्

• मे: of me / my
• मे: षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः (सम्प्रदान/स्वामित्व-सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम; मम/मे (enclitic)

• श्लोकः: the śloka (verse)
• श्लोकः: कर्ता (भवतु इत्यस्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• भवतु: let it be / may it become
• भवतु: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (आज्ञार्थ/विधिलिङ्गसदृशः), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• न: not
• न: निषेधक (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (particle of negation)

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: क्रियाविशेषणम्
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्ययम् (adverb)

Context

"Occasioned by the grief-stricken (state of the bird) and composed in rhymed lines each of equal number of syllables tuned to the accompaniment of stringed instruments, let it be known as a sloka and not by any other name".

Characters & Entities

• Vālmīki
• śloka

FAQs

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

Dharma can be served through truthful, disciplined expression: grief is not indulged but shaped into ordered speech that can instruct and elevate others.

What is the narrative situation?

Vālmīki explains to his disciple that his spontaneous utterance has taken the structured form of a metrical śloka.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Creative restraint and clarity: the sage channels emotion into a precise, communicable form that becomes a vehicle for ethical teaching.