Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 3, Shloka 39

तृतीयः सर्गः (Bālakāṇḍa 3): Vālmīki’s Yogic Verification and the Epic Synopsis

Devanagari script

स तु मेधाविनौ दृष्ट्वा वेदेषु परिनिष्ठितौ |

वेदोपबृंहणार्थाय तावग्राहयत प्रभुः ||

Transliteration

sa tu medhāvinau dṛṣṭvā vedeṣu pariniṣṭhitau |

vedopabṛṃhaṇārthāya tāvagrāhayata prabhuḥ ||

Translation

他见那二人聪慧过人，且于吠陀中根基坚固；为弘阐并增益吠陀之义，这位能者之师便将此史诗传授于他们。

Word by Word

• prāpta-rājyasya: of (Rāma) who had obtained the kingdom
• prāpta-rājyasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prāpta (कृदन्त; √āp/āpnu ‘to obtain’) + rājya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थः (‘prāptaṃ rājyaṃ yasya’), षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग (qualifying ‘rāmasya’)

• rāmasya: of Rāma
• rāmasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• vālmīkiḥ: Vālmīki
• vālmīkiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vālmīki (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• bhagavān: venerable
• bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग (विशेषणम् of ‘ṛṣiḥ’)

• ṛṣiḥ: sage
• ṛṣiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• cakāra: composed
• cakāra: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• caritam: life-story/deeds
• caritam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: carita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• kṛtsnam: entire
• kṛtsnam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛtsna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (विशेषणम् of ‘caritam’)

• vicitra-padam: with varied/remarkable diction
• vicitra-padam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vicitra (प्रातिपदिक) + pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (descriptive: ‘vicitraṃ padam’), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (qualifying ‘caritam’)

• ātmavān: self-possessed/wise
• ātmavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ātmavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग (विशेषणम् of ‘vālmīkiḥ/ṛṣiḥ’)

Characters & Entities

• Valmiki
• Lava
• Kusha
• Vedas

FAQs

Why did Valmiki choose these specific disciples to learn the Ramayana?

Valmiki chose them because he observed they were 'medhāvinau' (highly intelligent) and 'vedeṣu pariniṣṭhitau' (expertly grounded in the Vedas), ensuring they had the intellectual and spiritual foundation to hold the epic.

What is the stated purpose of the Ramayana in relation to the Vedas in this verse?

The verse explicitly states 'vedopabṛṃhaṇārthāya', meaning the Ramayana was taught to expand upon, reinforce, and illustrate the abstract truths of the Vedas through narrative.