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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 2.1.17
Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 1: Daśaratha proposes Rāma as heir. With Bharata & Śatrughna in Kekaya, Daśaratha weighs Rāma’s fitness to rule and summons an assembly
In the sequence: the narrator describes the qualities that make Rāma fit to rule: he speaks kindly, remembers kindness rather than injuries, learns from elders, understands duty and government, manages revenue and expenditure, and is accomplished in warfare
2.1.17
śīlavṛddhair jñānavṛddhair vayovṛddhaiś ca sajjanaiḥ
kathayann āsta vai nityam astrayogyāntareṣv api
Even in the intervals of his weapons-practice, he would ever pass the time conversing with good men — elders in character, elders in wisdom, and elders in age.
Words: śīlavṛddhair — with elders in character; jñānavṛddhair — with elders in wisdom; vayovṛddhaiś ca — and with elders in age; sajjanaiḥ — with good men; kathayann — conversing; āsta — remained, abided; vai — indeed; nityam — ever, always; astrayogyāntareṣv — in the intervals of weapons-practice; api — even, also
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.