← 1.17.12 · Bāla Kāṇḍa 17: Birth and upbringing of the princes; Viśvāmitra’s arrival · 1.17.14 →

Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 1.17.13

Bāla Kāṇḍa, sarga 17: Birth and upbringing of the princes; Viśvāmitra’s arrival. Daśaratha’s four sons are born and grow devoted in pairs, Viśvāmitra arrives and receives the King’s promise to fulfil his request

In the sequence: the princes grow learned, brave, and devoted to the world's welfare, with Rāma especially beloved

1.17.13

teṣāṃ ketur iva jyeṣṭho rāmo ratikaraḥ pituḥ
babhūva bhūyo bhūtānāṃ svayambhūr iva saṃmataḥ

Among them the eldest, Rāma, like a banner, was a source of delight to his father, and was esteemed by (all) beings above the rest, like the Self-existent (Brahmā).

Words: teṣāṃ — among them; ketur — a banner, standard; iva — like; jyeṣṭho — the eldest; rāmo — Rāma; ratikaraḥ — a source of delight; pituḥ — to the father; babhūva — became, was; bhūyo — more, above (the rest); bhūtānāṃ — of beings; svayambhūr — the Self-existent (Brahmā); iva — like; saṃmataḥ — esteemed, honoured

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.