Shloka 1

पूर्वजोऽप्युक्तमात्रस्तु लक्ष्मणेन सुभाषितम्।सारग्राही महासारं प्रतिजग्राह राघवः।।।।

pūrvajo ’py uktamātras tu lakṣmaṇena subhāṣitam | sāragrāhī mahāsāraṃ pratijagrāha rāghavaḥ ||

اگرچہ وہ بڑے تھے، مگر راگھو—جو جوہر کو پکڑ لینے والے ہیں—لکشمن کی خوش گفتار نصیحت کی گہری اور وزنی بات کو کہتے ہی قبول کر لیا۔

pūrvajaḥthe elder (brother)
pūrvajaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootpūrvaja (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
apieven/also
api:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
Formनिपात; ‘also/though’
uktamātraḥas soon as it was said
uktamātraḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootukta (कृदन्त; √vac धातु, क्त) + mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘only when spoken’) विशेषण (pūrvajaḥ/rāghavaḥ)
tubut
tu:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; contrast/emphasis
lakṣmaṇenaby Lakṣmaṇa
lakṣmaṇena:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootlakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; agent/instrument
subhāṣitamgood counsel
subhāṣitam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootsu- (उपसर्गार्थ) + bhāṣita (कृदन्त; √bhāṣ धातु, क्त)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘well-spoken (speech)’
sāragrāhīone who grasps the essence
sāragrāhī:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootsāra (प्रातिपदिक) + grāhin (कृदन्त; √grah धातु, णिनि/इन्)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘essence-grasper’), विशेषण (rāghavaḥ)
mahāsāramvery substantial
mahāsāram:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootmahā (प्रातिपदिक) + sāra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय; विशेषण (subhāṣitam)
pratijagrāhaaccepted
pratijagrāha:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootprati-√grah (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
rāghavaḥRāghava (Rama)
rāghavaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootrāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Even though Rama was elder, he could grasp the quintessence of the wise counsel only after Lakshmana had said it.

R
Rāma
L
Lakṣmaṇa

FAQs

Dharma includes humility and receptivity to right counsel: even seniority should not block acceptance of truthful, well-reasoned advice (satya-yukta upadeśa).

In the forest episode, the narration highlights Rāma’s capacity to recognize and accept Lakṣmaṇa’s wise words, setting the tone for their actions that follow.

Rāma’s discernment (sāra-grahaṇa) and humility—taking the essence of counsel without ego.