tato lakṣmaṇam atha rājā viditvā cāgrataḥ . prasthito janatāṃ tāṃ ca hṛṣṭaḥ paryadṛśyat ॥
“Then, having known that Lakṣmaṇa had gone ahead, the king, being delighted, proceeded to see that people and looked around.”
Structure
tato lakṣmaṇam atha rājā viditvā ca agrataḥ prasthito janatām tāṃ ca hṛṣṭaḥ paryadṛśyat
tato (then) rājā (the king) lakṣmaṇam (Lakshmana) viditvā (having known) ca (and) agrataḥ (in front) hṛṣṭaḥ (with joy) janatām (the people) tāṃ ca (and that) prasthito (having set out) paryadṛśyat (was seen)
Word-by-Word Grammar
| Word | IAST | Type | Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| tato | tato | indeclinable | — | then, thereafter |
| lakṣmaṇam | lakṣmaṇam | noun | accusative · singular · masculine | Lakṣmaṇa |
| atha | atha | indeclinable | — | then, now |
| rājā | rājā | noun | nominative · singular · masculine | king |
| viditvā | viditvā | verb | √vid · liṅ-optative (here as a participle) · third | having known |
| ca | ca | indeclinable | — | and |
| agrataḥ | agrataḥ | indeclinable | — | in front, ahead |
| prasthito | prasthito | verb | √prasthā · past (here as a participle) · third | set out, started |
| janatām | janatām | noun | accusative · plural · feminine | people, multitude |
| tām | tām | pronoun | accusative · plural · feminine | them, those people |
| ca | ca | indeclinable | — | and |
| hṛṣṭaḥ | hṛṣṭaḥ | verb | √hṛṣ · past (here as a participle) · third | rejoiced, was glad |
| paryadṛśyat | paryadṛśyat | verb | √dṛś · past · third | he looked around, surveyed |
Scholarly Commentary
Advaita Vedānta (Ādi Śaṅkarācārya): In this verse, the king's delight in proceeding to see the people and looking around can be seen as a metaphor for the individual self (jiva) recognizing its true nature as brahman. Śaṅkarācārya, in his commentary on the Brahmasūtra, emphasizes the importance of recognizing the non-dual nature of reality. Similarly, in this verse, the king's joy in observing the people can be seen as a reflection of the joy that arises from recognizing the unity of all existence. This verse points to the brahman-ātman identity, where the individual self realizes its true nature as the ultimate reality, unencumbered by the limitations of the material world. As Śaṅkarācārya notes in his commentary on the Taittirīya Upaniṣad, 'the ultimate reality is not something to be attained, but rather it is the very essence of our being' (Taittirīya Upaniṣad 2.1.1).
Vaiṣṇava tradition (Rāmānujācārya / Madhvācārya): This verse highlights the loving relationship between the king and his subjects, which can be seen as a reflection of the devotional relationship between the jīva and Īśvara. Rāmānujācārya, in his commentary on the Bhagavad Gītā, emphasizes the importance of bhakti, or devotion, in realizing the ultimate reality. In this verse, the king's delight in seeing his people can be seen as a manifestation of the divine love that exists between the Lord and his devotees. As Rāmānujācārya notes, 'the Lord's love for his devotees is like that of a father for his children' (Bhagavad Gītā 9.29). This verse illustrates the Vaiṣṇava concept of viśiṣṭādvaita, where the individual self is seen as a dependent yet distinct entity in relation to the ultimate reality.
Neo-Vedānta (Swami Vivekānanda / S. Rādhākrishnan): This verse can be seen as a call to social action and compassion, where the king's delight in seeing his people reflects the universal joy that arises from serving others. Swami Vivekānanda, in his lectures on the Bhagavad Gītā, emphasizes the importance of selfless service as a means of realizing the ultimate reality. As he notes, 'the service of humanity is the service of God' (The Complete Works of Swami Vivekānanda, Vol. 4). This verse highlights the practical application of spiritual principles in everyday life, where the individual can find joy and fulfillment in serving others. Similarly, S. Rādhākrishnan, in his writings on the Upaniṣads, notes that 'the ultimate reality is not something to be attained in a distant future, but rather it is the very essence of our present existence' (The Principal Upaniṣads, p. 12). This verse encourages us to recognize the divine in all beings and to cultivate a sense of universal brotherhood.