तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा ऋषिमध्ये नराधिप:। वाक्यं वाक्यविदां श्रेष्ठ: प्रत्युवाच महीपतिम्।
Meaning
Hearing these words amid the assembled sages, Dasaratha, most eloquent of speakers, replied to king Janaka.
Word-by-word (pada-artha)
| Word | Devanagari | Meaning | Grammatical role |
|---|---|---|---|
| tasya tat vacanam śrutvā | तस्य तत् वचनम् श्रुत्वा | having heard his word | Genitive / Accusative / Accusative / Gerund |
| ṛṣi-madhye nara-adhipaḥ | ऋषि-मध्ये नर-अधिपः | in the midst of the sages, the lord of men | Locative / Nominative |
| vākyam vākya-vidām śreṣṭhaḥ | वाक्यम् वाक्य-विदाम् श्रेष्ठः | a word, the best of those who know speech | Accusative / Genitive plural / Nominative |
| pratyuvāca mahī-patim | प्रत्युवाच मही-पतिम् | replied to the lord of the earth | Verb (imperfect) / Accusative |
Scholar commentary
valmikiramayan.net Prose Commentary
Desiraju Hanumanta Rao's prose rendering with embedded explanatory notes
The source explains why Dasharatha's reply uses 'restitutor' rather than 'donor' for Janaka: Janaka is not simply giving something of his own away, but restoring an estranged divine pair to their rightful togetherness in the mortal world. It cites R. C. Dutt's rendering of the same sentiment: 'Gift betokens giver's bounty.'
1 of 16 traditions have commentary on this shloka. Traditions without a verse-specific commentary here are omitted rather than filled in.
Reference: 1.69.14 · Bāla Kāṇḍa