Rāmāyaṇa 1.1.1-2 "A śloka a day #SAH #SanskritGrammar

श्रीमद्वाल्मीकिरामायणम्

Śrīmadvālmīkirāmāyaṇam

बालकाण्डम्

Bālakāṇḍam

प्रथमः सर्गः

Prathamaḥ Sargaḥ

नारदवाक्यम्

Nāradavāykam

तपःस्वाध्यायनिरतं तपस्वी वाग्विदां वरम् 

नारदं परिपप्रच्छ वाल्मीकिर्मुनिपुन्गवम्

को न्वस्मिन् सांप्रतं लोके गुणवान् कश्च वीर्यवान्

धर्मज्ञश्च कृतज्ञश्च सत्यवाक्यो दृढव्रतः

tapaḥsvādhyāyanirataṃ tapasvī vāgvidāṃ varam

nāradaṃ paripapraccha vālmīkir munipuṃgavam

ko nv asmin sāmprataṃ loke guṇavān kaś ca vīryavān

dharmajñaś ca kṛtajñaś ca satyavākyo dṛḍhavrataḥ

[The hermit] Vālmīki, dedicated to austerities, asked Nārada, the best of munis, the best among experts skilled in speech [and] devoted to austerity and study [of the Vedas]:  

"Who is in this present world endowed with virtues? Who is brave, knows the dharma, is grateful, speaks the truth, and is firm in his vows?" 

My big problem (as a Hindi speaker) when I first read the first verse - I couldn't tell who was asking whom the question. And which descriptions went with which 'muni' Then I was given a small (actually, very big) hint. Work out what is in the nominative case (प्रथमा विभक्ति) and what is in the accusative case (द्वितीय). That is the key. In nominative are two words - tapasvi and Vālmīki. He is the doer/asker. In the accusative is Nārada, the one being asked, and all qualifiers in accusative are connected to him.  

तपःस्वाध्यायनिरतं - [to him] who is devoted to [Vedic] studies and [religious] austerities

तपः austerity, discipline (masc., nom., sing.)

स्वाध्यायः recitation/self-study (masc., nom., sing)

निरतं engaged in, devoted to, pleased by (accusative past participle [ni + √ram] as adjective)

तपस्वी  ascetic (masc., nom., sing)

वाग्विदाम् of [those] skilled in speech (genitive, masc. plural) stem = वाग्वित् 

वरम् best (accusative adj., agreeing with Nāradam)*

नारदं - (accusative, because otherwise, being a masculine, it would have been नारदः I cannot stress this enough)

परिपप्रच्छ = परि + पप्रच्छ  asked about = (perfect of √प्रछ् to ask; perfect, 3rd person, sing. agreeing with Vālmīki) [Pari = prefix = about.]

वाल्मीकिर्मुनिपुन्गवम् (वाल्मीकिः+मुनिपुङ्गवम्)

वाल्मीकिः Valmīki, (masc, nom, the doer/asker)

मुनिपुङ्गवम् to the bull [best] among munis (this is in accusative so it refers to Nārada NOT to  Valmīki. If it referred to Valmīki, the ending would be मुनिपुंगवः masc. nom. with a visarga, since puṃgava is masc.)

को who? (masc, nominative, sing, This is कः in sandhi.  

नु now then/certainly (avyaya/indeclinable) 

अस्मिन् in this (locative, masc.,sing., of idam 'this') nu+asmin in sandhi become  न्वस्मिन् 

सांप्रतं  now, at present (adverb) 

लोके  in this world ( locative, neut, sing.)

गुणवान्  endowed with/possessed of virtues, [good] qualities (masc., nom, sing)

कश्च and who? (कः in sandhi with च)

वीर्यवान् endowed with heroic qualities (masc, nom, sing)

धर्मज्ञश्च (धर्मज्ञः+च) Knower of dharma (masc., nom., sing) 

कृतज्ञश्च (कृतज्ञः+च) grateful/correct in conduct (masc, nom, sing) 

सत्यवाक्यो (सत्य+वाक्यः) Whose speech is true 

दृढव्रतः He whose vow is firm

Read & Revise: Rama goes to the forest

When he obtained the permission of the King, Rama went along with the muni to the forest. There, in the forest, many rishis lived in ashrams. They always meditated and did sacrifices. During that time many demons obstructed them. To protect the munis from the demons, came Rama. Even though he was a boy, that brave [Rama] killed many demons with arrows. Wherever Rama went, [from] there the demons were scared and fled. Wherever Rama and Lakshmana saw [the] demons (there) they cut off their limbs. When all the demons were killed or departed, then Rama leaves the forest and goes to Mithila. In that country a very wise king named Janaka ruled. Janaka [had an] extremely charming daughter named Sita. The people think she is the foremost amont all women. All [the] kings thought 'I will marry Sita' Therefore they assembled in Mithila. 

Read & Revise: A troubled muni visits Daśaratha

I do apologise for all the pencil markings!! Trust it's still good to read. Please write in if you have any specific problems with the text.

Whenever Daśaratha saw his eldest son, he experienced (anubhavati) the highest joy. Rāma too was endowed with intelligence. (lit. joined with). He understood (avagachati) all the vedās. And excelled (lit. went beyond) at bowmanship (dhanuraveda). When he lifted an arrow (uddharati) the gods also trembled in heaven. Once, some muni came to Ayodhyā and said to  Daśaratha."O King! We munis are troubled by rākṣasas. You only are the protection of your subjects. If you don't send (preṣyasi) some brave [person] then we are all doomed" (lit. destroyed).Daśaratha said: " O Muni! Such demons who [can] cause ṛṣis to tremble, who is capable of killing them?" The muni said: Two such capable brave [men] are (lit. exist vartate) in Ayodhyā. Who are they, asked  Daśaratha."Your sons Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa said the brahmin. When Daśaratha heard the words of the muni, was was very unhappy. Since [a] brahmin is [a] gods amongst men, therefore even the king must do what he says. Therefore he sent his beloved sons to the forest with the muni.

Read and Revise: Dashratha's life carries on...

Even if you read for 5-10 minutes everyday, very soon it will become second nature. Please write in if you have any queries about specific sentences or grammatical construct.

We read elsewhere about the accidental killing in the forest of the young boy by King Daśaratha. The brahmin father of the dead boy curses the king, and immolates himself on his son's pyre. Daśaratha is understandably distraught:

Daśaratha hears the the words of the angry (kupita) brahmin. But in time, he forgets that curse. He lives in Ayodhyā happily (sukham) along with his wives and rules also. The happy king had only one sadness. (lit. of the happy king there is only one sadness). He has no son. Then along with brahmins, for a child, he does a yajña. Then in time, four sons are born (udbhavati). They are named ( nāmadheya) Rāmaḥ, Lakṣmaṇaḥ, Bharataḥ and Śatrughnaḥ. the sons of the king (pārthiva) are handsome, peaceful and brave. Of them, the eldest, Rāmaḥ is the most superior in good qualities. Therefore the king loves Rāmaḥ especially.

Unsung Hero: The arrow that kills the mighty Rāvaṇa

Ramlila tonight will re-enact the destruction of a mighty warrior, Rāvaṇa who the Rāmāyaṇa itself calls, in his dying moment, dyutimaḥ (effulgent, brilliant) and one of terrific swiftness (भीमवेगः). The Hindu epics are generous in recognising valour even in the enemy -  a mature sentiment which makes our religion what it is. 

Dussehra focuses on the glorification of Rāma and celebrates the triumph of 'good' over 'evil', 'light' over 'darkness'. I like to draw attention to the unsung hero in these stories. In this case, the arrow itself that accomplishes the deed. In the heat of battle, nearly 10 verses are devoted to describing the 'astra' made by Brahma. We'll do one verse DVP style - but I'd like to share some of the description in translation. This can be found in sarga 108 of the Yuddha Kāṇḍa.

Being reminded by Mātalī, Rāma took hold of the blazing/flaming arrow (दीप्तः शरः) which was breathing as if like a serpent. In its wings is [the] wind, in its head there is Fire and the Sun, in its body is the sky and in its weight are (mount) Meru and Mandara. Resplendent by its own lustre, bright as the rays of the Sun, it is like the fire of dissolution (कालाग्निः). Made by Brahma for Indra, smeared in the blood and dipped in the  marrow of various victims, it presented a dreadful appearance. With the essence of a thunderbolt, hissing like a serpent, it has the form of death (yamarupa). 

Consecrating it with mantras laid down in the Vedas, the mighty Rāma set it on his bow. That excellent arrow being mounted, all beings were stricken with fear and the earth trembled. Rāma, well-enraged, discharged that arrow which pierces the vitals (मर्मविदारणः शरः) at Rāvaṇa. That shaft cleft the breast of the evil minded Rāvaṇa, and anointed with blood, penetrated the earth. And then returned to the quiver. (In some rescensions, it does, and others it doesn't).

Now the verse. A relatively simple one today!!

यं तस्मै प्रथमं प्रादादगस्त्यो भगवानृषिः |

ब्रह्मदत्तं महद्बाणममोघं युधि वीर्यवान् ||

[The arrow] which was unfailing in battle was first (earlier?) given to valiant Rama by the divine rishi Agastya.

यम् which - (yat, accusative, masc., sing)

युधि - in battle (yuddha, locative, neut. sing)

अमोघम् - unfailing (adj, accusative, masc., sing) 

बाणम् - arrow (accusative, masc., sing)

प्रथमम् - at first, firstly

तस्मै  - to him, to Rama (dative, masc., sing)

वीर्यवान् - Brave, valiant (Rama)

प्रादात् - pra+adaat, past tense of 

अगस्त्यः Agastya 

भगवानृषिः Divine ṛṣi

Rāmo Rājamaṇi verse

Before we do more Ramayana verses - a little revision. Bibek had quoted this verse as a good way to revise all the cases and I couldn't agree more. It is a popular prayer - but I'm not sure how many of us actually know what it means. Bibek also rightly pointed out that usage is the key. In this course you are not being asked to mug up tables (though you could if you wanted to - never hurts) - but you will benefit from reading the verses, translation and notes as much as possible. Listening to the Sanskrit is imperative. Yesterday I gave you a youtube (audio) link to Ch 1 of the Ramayana. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vsdzR_rI68) 

रामो राजमणिः सदा विजयते रामं रमेशं भजे

रामेणाभिहता निशाचरचमू रामाय तस्मै नमः

रामान्नास्ति परायणं परतरं रामस्य दासो ऽस्म्यहं

रामे चितलयः सदा भवतु मे भो राम मामुद्धर

Rāma, jewel among kings, is always victorious, 
I worship Rāma, Ramā's (Sitā's) Lord 
By Rāma the host of night-stalkers are destroyed. Homage to Rāma
There is no higher recourse than Rāma.
I am a servant of Rāma.
Let the focus of my thoughts always be on Rāma.
O Rāma, save me!

(trans. Robert Goldman)


रामो  Rāma (masc., nom.,singular. रामःin sandhi - the visarga appears as ओbefore the next र)
jewel among kings/royal jewel (masc., nom., sing., tatpurusha cpd) - राजमणिः
always - सदा 
is victorious/wins (3rd person nom., sing., vi + √ji - to conquer, ĀP)  विजयते 
(masc., accusative., singular) (राम-को) - रामं 
Lord of Ramā - masc., accusative., sing -  रमेशं 
[I] worship (1st person, singular from √bhaj - to share/divide)- भजे

रामेणाभिहता=रामेण+अभिहताः

by Rāma (masc., instrumental., sing.) रामेण

[they are] killed (nom., plural) अभिहताः 

(the visarga is dropped by sandhi rules in the verse)

army of night-stalkers (tatpurusha compound) निशाचरचमू

I bow to that Rāma - रामाय तस्मै नमः

रामान्नास्ति=रामात्+न+अस्ति

Than Rāma रामात् 

not is न+अस्ति

(consonant sandhi makes the t of raamaat a n before the na)

last resort, final end (neuter, nom., sing) परायणं 

beyond, further (avyaya) परतरम् 

of Rāma (masc., genitive., sing.) रामस्य 

servant (masc., nom., sing दासःin sandhi) दासो 

I am - (we will discuss this symbol 'avagraha' ऽ in the course) ऽस्म्यहं=अस्मि +अहम् 

On/in Rāma (masc. locative., sing) - रामे  

Rest, repose, (focus of contemplation) of my mind (tatpurusha cpd)- चितलयः 

always सदा 

Let it be- (Imperative, 3rd person, singular √भू) = भवतु 

of mine - (1st person genitive singular) मे 

Hey! O! - vocative - भो 

राम 

मामुद्धर=माम्+उद्धर

(1st accusative, sing) to me [मुझ-को]  माम् 

Lift, save - 2nd person, sing Imperative [you] उद्धर

The story of Kabandha

This episode occurs in the Rāmāyaṇa after Sītā has been kidnapped. Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa are looking for her. They come across a horrific demon...

 

रामः लक्ष्मणः च सीताम् पुनः अन्वैच्छताम्

Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa look for Sītā again (in the sense of continuation from what has gone before)

रामः3rd person masculine nominative

लक्ष्मणः3rd person masculine nominative

च and

सीताम् 3rd person singular feminine accusative सीता को 

पुनःagain

अन्वैच्चताम् verb to search - masculine dual form agreeing with Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa.

अचिरेण तौ कृष्णम् अरण्यम् आगच्छताम्

Soon they arrive at (come to) a dark forest

अचिरेण soon

तौ 3rd person masculine dual pronoun वह दो

कृष्णम् dark, black, adjective agreeing with अरण्यम् 

अरण्यम् forest, 3rd person singular neuter accusative noun 

आगच्छताम् verb arrive/come, masculine dual form agreeing with Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa.

तस्मिन्  अरण्ये घोरः राक्षसः अवसत्

A horrific demon lived in that forest

तस्मिन् In that - locative case of तत् (he/that) agreeing with the neuter अरण्यम् 

अरण्ये locative case of अरण्यम्

घोरः horrific, scary, adjective agreeing with राक्षसः

राक्षसः3rd person masculine nominative

अवसत् lived This is the past tense of √वस्, to live. 

राक्षसः कबन्धः नाम

The demon is called Kabandha

राक्षसः The demon

कबन्धः Kabandha

नाम is named

कबन्धस्य मुखम् उदरे

Kabandha's mouth is in/on his stomach

कबन्धस्य - Kabandha's: 3rd person masculine singular genitive form

मुखम् mouth: 3rd person singular neuter noun

उदरे in/on his stomach. Locative case of उदरम् - stomach

सः एकेन नेत्रेण युक्तः

He has one eye (lit. he is with one eye)

सः He - masculine pronoun singular

एकेन one - number used as an adjective agreeing with नेत्रेण 

नेत्रेण with one eye - instrumental case giving the sense of 'with' से

युक्तः joined to/possessed of, possessing - an adjective agreeing with Kabandha

रामः लक्ष्मणः च कबन्धेन गृहीतौ

Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa are grasped/grabbed by the demon

रामः 

लक्ष्मणः

च 

कबन्धेन by Kabandha - instrumental case

गृहीतौ - (two) are held. past participle acting as an adjective agreeing with Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa 

तौ नरौ खादिष्यामि इति कबन्धःअचिन्तयत्

I will eat the two men, Kabandha thought 

तौ 3rd person masculine dual pronoun agreeing with नरौ 

नरौ two men

खादिष्यामि I will eat. This it the future of √खाद्

इति direct speech marker

कबन्धः Kabandha

अचिन्तयत् thought. This is the past tense of √चिन्त्

नरयोः खड्गभ्याम् तु कबन्धस्य हस्तौ छिन्नौ

Kabandha's (two) hands are cut by the (two) swords of the (two) men

नरयोः of the two - 3rd person, masculine, dual genitive case

खड्गभ्याम् - 3rd person, masculine dual instrumental case

तु but, लेकिन, पर

कबन्धस्य - of Kabandha, 3rd person masculine singular genitive case

हस्तौ two hands - masculine nominative dual (of हस्त)

छिन्नौ - cut - adjective agreeing with two hands हस्तौ 

कबन्धः अवदत् पुरा मुनिजनस्य शापात् मम देहः घोरः अभवत्

Kabandha said long ago because of/as a result of the curse of a muni, my body became horrific

कबन्धः

अवदत् said - past of √vad

पुरा -long ago

मुनिजनस्य of the muni

शापात् - ablative case शाप से

मम - my

देहः - body masculine nominative

घोरः - adjective agreeing with देहः

अभवत् - became - past tense of √भू

हे राम यदि मम देहम् दहसि तदा मम सत्यम् रूपम् पुनः आगमिष्यति इति

Ram, if you burn my body, my true form will come back again

हे राम - vocative case  

यदि -if

मम - my

देहम् - accusative case of deha which is masculine

दहसि - (you) burn, verb addressed to Rama

तदा - then

मम - my

सत्यम् -true, as adjective agreeing with रूपम्

रूपम् - neuter noun - form

पुनः -again

आगमिष्यति - will come - future of √gam

इति - direct speech marker

रामः लक्ष्मणः च तस्य राक्षसस्या देहम् अदहताम् 

Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa burnt the body of the demon

रामः 

लक्ष्मणः

च

तस्य

राक्षसस्या

देहम् - body ko

अदहताम् - past, dual verb, (two) burnt

कबन्धस्य सत्यम् रूपम् पुनःआगच्छत्

Kabandha's true form came back again

कबन्धस्य - of Kabandha- 3rd person, masculine, singular, genitive case

सत्यम् - true

रूपम् - form

पुनः- again

आगच्छत् - came past of आ+√गम् (masculine singular past form as compared to अदहताम् (two burnt) 

कबन्धः अवदत् वानराणाम् नृपः सुग्रीवः नाम

Kabandha said - the king of the monkeys is called Sugriva

कबन्धः

अवदत् - said - past tense

वानराणाम् - of the monkeys, genitive plural

नृपः - King

सुग्रीवः - Sugriva (notice the visarga, for masculine nominative singular) 

नाम - named

सुग्रीवस्य राज्यम् तु सोदरेण गृहीतम्

Sugriva's kingdom has been grabbed by his brother

सुग्रीवस्य - Sugriva's genitive singular

राज्यम् - Kingdom, neuter noun, nominative singular

तु - but, लेकिन

सोदरेण - by his brother (sodara literally means of the same womb). This is the instrumental case 

गृहीतम् - past participle acting as an adjective agreeing with राज्यम्

हे राम यदि सुग्रीवम् गच्छसि तदा सुग्रीवः तव साहाय्यम् करिष्यति इति

O Rama, if you go to go to Sugriva, then he will help you

हे राम - vocative 

यदि -if

सुग्रीवम् - to Sugriva - accusative case 

गच्छसि - you go

तदा -then

सुग्रीवः - Sugriva

तव -your

साहाय्यम् - Help, neuter noun

करिष्यति - will do - future of √कृ

इति - direct speech marker

Aiyyo-Ram-a! The joke's on me!!

Growing up in Bangalore, we often had ‘North-Indian’ relatives visit whose constant refrain was a fairly disdainful “अरे इनको हिंदी नहीं बोलनी आती? यह 'रामा रामा' क्या लगा रखा है? यह 'राम' नहीं बोल सकते क्या?" And I did grow up wondering why ‘we’ said Ram and ‘they’ said Rama (which to me sounded like Raamaa). It was only when I began to learn Sanskrit, that I realized that the joke is on me – because in fact Rama (pronounced 'Raam' in Hindi) is actually 'Ram+a' in Sanskrit.

 One of the fundamental challenges I faced as a Hindi speaker learning Sanskrit was to train myself to consciously add the ‘a’ at the end of an ‘a’ ending word. We are hard-wired to drop the ‘a’ when we speak – and if you want to be true to Sanskrit, you will have to make a conscious effort to switch language hats – and not equate Hindi to Sanskrit. It's very difficult, but not impossible.

What makes it even more difficult is the English spellings we are used to – which are geared to the Hindi pronunciation. So, automatically हम आखरी 'अ' खा जाते हैं. In Hindi we pronounce the word like as if it ends on a consonant (Raam) - in the process we drop a complete syllable. In Sanskrit, the 'a' at the end in conjunction with the consonant (म्+अ) counts as a separate syllable. Let me give you some examples:

HINDI	SANSKRIT
कमल - ka+mal 2 syllables	क+म+ल 3 syllables
नाथ - 1 syllable	ना+थ 2 syllables
केशव ke+shav 2 syllables	के+श+व 3 syllables
अर्थ 1 syllable	अर्+थ 2 syllables
शिव 1 syllable	शि+व 2 syllables
नीलकंठ 2 syllables	नी+ल+कण्+ठ 4 syllables

We have no problem with any other vowel, आ, इ, ई, उ, ऊ, ए, ऐ, ओ, औ - there we understand that it is a halanta (not halant :-)) consonant -क् च् ट् etc + the vowel, so क्+ई=की. But in the case of 'अ' we forget, or just slip into the familiar 'Hindified' version.

This will become very important when we proceed to words in Sandhi - for instance सतसत् is not सत+सत् . but सत्+असत् (real and unreal/true and untrue). Likewise धर्मधर्मः is not dharma and dharma as it seems at first glance, but dharm+'adharma' in a copulative compound. So you could get the meaning of a word, a line, a verse completely wrong.

  

So please do make it a habit to look at the end of a word carefully if it ends in 'a' - what are called a-kaarant words - and pronounce the 'a', or at least be aware of it - that'll be a good start!