tato rājā janakaḥ prahṛṣṭaḥ sutāṃ ca tāṃ ca dṛṣṭvā
“Then King Janaka, greatly rejoiced, on seeing his daughter and Sita”
Structure
tato rāja janakaḥ prahṛṣṭaḥ sutāṃ ca tāṃ ca dṛṣṭvā
tato (then) rāja (king) janakaḥ (Janaka) prahṛṣṭaḥ (delighted) dṛṣṭvā (having seen) ca (and) sutāṃ (daughter) ca (and) tāṃ (that one) ca (and)
Word-by-Word Grammar
| Word | IAST | Type | Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| tato | tato | indeclinable | — | then, thereafter |
| rājā | rājā | noun | nominative · singular · masculine | king |
| janakaḥ | janakaḥ | noun | nominative · singular · masculine | Janaka, a proper noun (king of Mithilā) |
| prahṛṣṭaḥ | prahṛṣṭaḥ | verb | √hṛṣ · past participle · third | rejoiced, delighted |
| sutāṃ | sutāṃ | noun | accusative · plural · feminine | daughters |
| ca | ca | indeclinable | — | and |
| tāṃ | tām | pronoun | accusative · plural · feminine | them, referring to the daughters |
| ca | ca | indeclinable | — | and |
| dṛṣṭvā | dṛṣṭvā | indeclinable | — | having seen |
Scholarly Commentary
Advaita Vedānta (Ādi Śaṅkarācārya): In this verse, the joy of King Janaka on seeing his daughter and Sītā can be seen as a reflection of the bliss inherent in the realization of the ultimate reality, Brahman. Śaṅkarācārya, in his commentary on the Taittirīya Upaniṣad, explains that the bliss of Brahman is the ultimate reality, and all other joys are mere reflections of it. The king's joy, though mundane, can be seen as a pointer to the greater joy that lies in the experience of the Self (ātman). The non-dual reading of this verse would emphasize that the king's individual self (jīva) is not separate from the ultimate reality, and his joy is a glimpse of the bliss that lies in the identity of Brahman and ātman. As Śaṅkarācārya notes in his Brahmasūtrabhāṣya, the ultimate goal is to realize this identity and experience the unalloyed bliss of Brahman.
Vaiṣṇava tradition (Rāmānujācārya): This verse highlights the loving relationship between King Janaka and his daughter Sītā, which can be seen as a reflection of the loving relationship between the jīva (individual self) and Īśvara (the Lord). Rāmānujācārya, in his Śrībhāṣya, explains that the jīva is not just a passive recipient of God's grace but is actively involved in the relationship, with a deep sense of longing and love for the Lord. The king's joy on seeing his daughter is a manifestation of this longing, and the verse can be seen as an illustration of the Vaiṣṇava concept of 'bhakti' or devotion. The relationship between the king and Sītā is not just a mundane one but is imbued with a deeper, spiritual significance, reflecting the eternal relationship between the jīva and Īśvara. As Rāmānujācārya notes, the ultimate goal is to cultivate this devotion and experience the joy of being in a loving relationship with the Lord.
Neo-Vedānta (Swami Vivekānanda): This verse can be seen as an illustration of the universal principle of love and joy that underlies all human relationships. Swami Vivekānanda, in his lecture 'The Universal Soul', notes that the ultimate reality is not just a distant, abstract concept but is reflected in the everyday experiences of human life. The king's joy on seeing his daughter is a manifestation of this universal love, which is the same love that underlies all relationships, whether between parents and children, friends, or even between the individual and the ultimate reality. This verse can be seen as an invitation to cultivate this universal love and to recognize that all relationships are intertwined and interconnected. As Vivekānanda notes, the goal is to realize this unity and to experience the joy and peace that comes from recognizing our shared humanity and our connection to the ultimate reality. This realization can be applied in contemporary life by cultivating empathy, compassion, and understanding towards all beings, and by recognizing the universal love that underlies all relationships.