Shloka 29.12Unverified draft

तपोमयं तपोराशिं तपोमूर्तिं तपात्मकम्। तपसा त्वां सुतप्तेन पश्यामि पुरुषोत्तमम्।।1.29.12।।

Meaning

You are made of austerity, the aggregate of austerity, the very form and soul of austerity; through my own well-performed austerity, I behold you, Supreme Person.

Word-by-word (pada-artha)

WordDevanagariMeaningGrammatical role
tapaḥ-mayam tapaḥ-rāśimतपः-मयम् तपः-राशिम्consisting of austerity, a mass of austerityAccusative singular
tapaḥ-mūrtim tapaḥ-ātmakamतपः-मूर्तिम् तपः-आत्मकम्the embodiment of austerity, of the nature of austerityAccusative singular
tapasā tvām su-taptenaतपसा त्वाम् सु-तप्तेनby intense austerity, youInstrumental / Accusative
paśyāmi puruṣa-uttamamपश्यामि पुरुष-उत्तमम्I see, the supreme personVerb (present) / Accusative

Scholar commentary

valmikiramayan.net Prose Commentary

Desiraju Hanumanta Rao's prose rendering with embedded explanatory notes

The source glosses 'tapaH' here as carrying a second meaning beyond bare austerity: it can also mean gnosis, knowledge, intellect, or spirit. Read this way, Kashyapa's praise becomes 'you are abounding with intellect, the aggregate of intellect, the very aspect of intellect' rather than only 'abounding with austerity.'

1 of 16 traditions have commentary on this shloka. Traditions without a verse-specific commentary here are omitted rather than filled in.

Reference: 1.29.12 · Bāla Kāṇḍa