tayostva asmin abhirūḍhasya rājño jananyā daśamātathaiva ca
“At that time, you were born to that king and your mother, and also to his tenth wife.”
Structure
tayoḥ tva asmin abhirūḍhasya rājñaḥ jananyā daśamātathaiva ca
tayoḥ (of those two) tva (you) asmin (in this) abhirūḍhasya (having ascended) rājñaḥ (king) jananyā (mother) daśamātathai ( Dasharatha) eva (indeed) ca (and)
Word-by-Word Grammar
| Word | IAST | Type | Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| tayoḥ | tayoḥ | pronoun | genitive · dual | of you two |
| tva | tva | indeclinable | — | emphatic particle |
| asmin | asmin | pronoun | locative · singular | in this |
| abhirūḍhasya | abhirūḍhasya | verb | √rūḍh · past participle | who has mounted |
| rājñaḥ | rājñaḥ | noun | genitive · singular · masculine | of the king |
| jananyā | jananyā | noun | ablative · singular · feminine | from the mother |
| daśamātathaiva | daśamātathaiva | compound | karmadhāraya · "daśamātā tathaiva" | and likewise the ten mothers |
| ca | ca | indeclinable | — | and |
Scholarly Commentary
Advaita Vedānta (Ādi Śaṅkarācārya): This verse from the Rāmāyaṇa highlights the theme of non-duality, where the distinctions between the king, his wives, and the child are ultimately subsumed under the larger identity of brahman. Śaṅkara's commentary on the Brahmasūtras emphasizes that all transactions and relationships, including those of family and social hierarchy, are grounded in a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of reality. He would likely view this verse as illustrating the complex web of saṃsāra, from which liberation (mokṣa) is the ultimate goal. By focusing on the phrase 'tayostva asmin abhirūḍhasya,' Śaṅkara might argue that the birth of the child to the king and his mother signifies the emergence of the individual self (jīva) within the context of worldly existence, yet this emergence is itself a manifestation of the ultimate, unchanging reality of brahman. Thus, the verse points towards the brahman-ātman identity by suggesting that all phenomena, including human relationships and births, are expressions of a singular, underlying truth.
Vaiṣṇava tradition (Rāmānujācārya / Madhvācārya): The Vaiṣṇava tradition, through scholars like Rāmānujācārya, interprets this verse with a focus on the loving relationship between the jīva (individual soul) and Īśvara (the Lord). Rāmānujācārya would likely see the king and his family as representatives of the devotee's longing for union with the divine. The mention of the tenth wife and the birth of the child could symbolize the jīva's quest for spiritual knowledge and liberation, facilitated by the grace of Īśvara. The phrase 'tayostva asmin abhirūḍhasya rājño' might be understood as signifying the intimate connection between the devotee and the Lord, where the devotee's spiritual journey is nurtured and guided by divine providence. Madhvācārya, with his emphasis on the difference (bheda) between the individual soul and God, might interpret the verse as underscoring the real, ontological distinction between the jīva and Īśvara, yet affirming the possibility of a loving, reciprocal relationship between them, symbolized by the familial bonds described in the verse.
Neo-Vedānta (Swami Vivekānanda / S. Rādhākrishnan): From a Neo-Vedānta perspective, this verse can be seen as a metaphor for the universal human quest for identity and purpose. Swami Vivekānanda, in his lectures on Practical Vedānta, emphasized the importance of realizing one's true nature beyond the external circumstances of birth and social status. He might view the birth of the child to the king and his tenth wife as a symbol of the emergence of the individual's higher self, which transcends worldly boundaries. The verse 'tayostva asmin abhirūḍhasya rājño' could be interpreted as a call to recognize and actualize one's inner potential, which is common to all humanity regardless of external differences. S. Radhakrishnan, with his focus on the harmonization of Eastern and Western thought, might see this verse as an illustration of the universal principles of ethics and morality that underlie human relationships, emphasizing the importance of mutual respect, duty, and compassion in personal and social life, principles that are as relevant today as they were in the time of the Rāmāyaṇa.