Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 10, Shloka 12

ऋश्यशृङ्ग-आनयनम्

Bringing Ṛśyaśṛṅga to Aṅga and His Marriage to Śāntā

Devanagari script

कस्त्वं किं वर्तसे ब्रह्मन् ज्ञातुमिच्छामहे वयम्।एकस्त्वं विजने घोरे वने चरसि शंस न:।। ।।

Transliteration

kas tvaṃ kiṃ vartase brahman jñātum icchāmahe vayam |

ekas tvaṃ vijane ghore vane carasi śaṃsa naḥ ||

Translation

“Ngài là ai, bậc Bà-la-môn? Ngài sống nương vào điều gì? Chúng tôi muốn được biết: vì sao ngài một mình lang thang trong khu rừng vắng vẻ, ghê rợn này? Xin hãy nói cho chúng tôi.”

Word by Word

• kaḥ: who
• kaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• kim: how/what
• kim: Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), interrogative particle (प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय)

• vartase: you live/subsist
• vartase: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛt (धातु)
• Form: Lakāra: Laṭ (लट्, Present), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), Puruṣa: Madhyama (मध्यम), Vachana: Eka (एकवचन)

• brahman: O Brahmin/O Brahman
• brahman: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Vocative (8/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• jñātum: to know
• jñātum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: Tumun-anta infinitive (तुमुनन्त), ‘to know’

• icchāmahe: we wish/desire
• icchāmahe: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (धातु)
• Form: Lakāra: Laṭ (लट्, Present), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), Puruṣa: Uttama (उत्तम), Vachana: Bahu (बहुवचन)

• vayam: we
• vayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ekaḥ: alone
• ekaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); viśeṣaṇa of tvam

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• vijane: in a lonely place
• vijane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vijana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); used adjectivally ‘in a lonely (place)’

• ghore: terrible
• ghore: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); viśeṣaṇa of vane

• vane: in the forest
• vane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• carasi: you roam
• carasi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: car (धातु)
• Form: Lakāra: Laṭ (लट्, Present), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Puruṣa: Madhyama (मध्यम), Vachana: Eka (एकवचन)

• śaṃsa: tell
• śaṃsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śaṃs (धातु)
• Form: Lakāra: Loṭ (लोट्, Imperative), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Puruṣa: Madhyama (मध्यम), Vachana: Eka (एकवचन)

• naḥ: to us/for us
• naḥ: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Genitive (6/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); enclitic

Context

'O brahman! Who are you? How are you subsisting? We wish to know why you are roaming alone in this dreadful forest? Could you tell us.'

Characters & Entities

• Ṛśyaśṛṅga
• forest (vana)

FAQs

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

The verse centers on satya and transparency in speech—questions invite truthful identity and life-practice, while also showing how inquiry can be a tool of manipulation.

What is the narrative situation?

The women initiate conversation with Ṛśyaśṛṅga, asking about his identity and solitary life in the forest.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

On the surface: civility and curiosity; in context: calculated persuasion aimed at drawing him out of isolation.