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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 1.17.15
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
1.17.15
teṣām api mahātejā rāmaḥ satyaparākramaḥ
bālyāt prabhṛti susnigdho lakṣmaṇo lakṣmivardhanaḥ
Even among them Rāma of great splendour, of true valour, (was foremost); and Lakṣmaṇa, the augmenter of good fortune, was deeply devoted (to him) from childhood on.
Words: teṣām — among them; api — even; mahātejā — of great splendour; rāmaḥ — Rāma; satyaparākramaḥ — of true valour; bālyāt — from childhood; prabhṛti — onwards, beginning from; susnigdho — deeply affectionate, devoted; lakṣmaṇo — Lakṣmaṇa; lakṣmivardhanaḥ — augmenter of good fortune
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.