Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 52, Shloka 2

वसिष्ठ-आतिथ्यं

Vasiṣṭha’s Hospitality to Viśvāmitra and the Summoning of Śabalā/Kāmadhenu

Devanagari script

स्वागतं तव चेत्युक्तो वसिष्ठेन महात्मना।आसनं चास्य भगवान् वसिष्ठो व्यादिदेश ह।।।।

Transliteration

svāgataṃ tava cety ukto vasiṣṭhena mahātmanā |

āsanaṃ cāsya bhagavān vasiṣṭho vyādideśa ha ||

Translation

مہاتما وِسِشٹھ بھگوان نے اسے خوش آمدید کہا اور آدابِ استقبال کے کلمات فرمائے، اور پھر حکم دیا کہ اس کے لیے نشست (آسن) تیار کی جائے۔

Word by Word

• स्वागतम्: welcome
• स्वागतम्: Karma (कर्म) / Vākyārtha (uttered content)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वागत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उक्ति-रूपेण (as an utterance: "welcome")

• तव: to you / your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• इति: thus
• इति: Vākyaprayojaka (वाक्यप्रयोजक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्य-समाप्ति-सूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• उक्तः: was addressed / was spoken to
• उक्तः: Karta (कर्ता) of implied passive / Predicative to subject
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे कर्तृ-निर्देशः तृतीया

• वसिष्ठेन: by Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठेन: Kartr̥ (कर्ता) in passive (करण/कर्तृ-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• महात्मना: by the great-souled
• महात्मना: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषणम् वसिष्ठेन इत्यस्य; समासः: महा + आत्मन् (कर्मधारय)

• आसनम्: a seat
• आसनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: also
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अस्य: for him / of him
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• भगवान्: the venerable one
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेष्यः वसिष्ठः

• वसिष्ठः: Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• व्यादिदेश: ordered / directed
• व्यादिदेश: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दिश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; उपसर्ग: वि-आ-

• ह: indeed
• ह: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

Context

Adorable Vasishta received Viswamitra with words of welcome and ordered a seat for him.

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Viśvāmitra

FAQs

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

Atithi-dharma (the duty of honoring a guest): welcoming respectfully and offering a proper seat, regardless of status or past tensions.

What is the narrative situation?

Viśvāmitra arrives at Vasiṣṭha’s hermitage; Vasiṣṭha formally receives him with hospitality.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vasiṣṭha’s maryādā (propriety) and steadiness in righteous conduct—he begins with courteous reception.