Learning Vibhakthi through Sanskrit slokas-
रामो राजमणिः सदा विजयते रामं रमेशं भजे
रामेणाभिहता निशाचरचमूः रामाय तस्मै नमः ।
रामान्नास्ति परायणंपरतरं रामस्य दासोस्म्यहं
रामे चित्तलयस्सदा भवतु मे भो राम मामुद्धर ॥
(this sloka is taken from श्रीरामरक्षास्तोत्रम्)
In this verse there are two distinct sentences in each line. So, to explore the meaning of this verse, we have to understand just 8 simple sentences.
Let us start off by the set methodology of exploring phrase by phrase, word by word.
सदा = always
One may ask, how doing devotion to RAma becomes devotion also to ViShNu. The logic lies in the mythology of incarnations of ViShNu. Among ten incarnations (दशावताराः) of ViShNu, RAma is regarded as the seventh. So, mythologically, ViShNu is the supreme deity, which undertook ten incarnations in the order - मत्स्य, कूर्म, वराह, नृसिंह, वामन, परशुराम, राम, कृष्ण, बुद्ध, कल्कि
Learning Sanskrit is not just for learning a language. It is also a learning of what can be or what should be the cultured way of life. The language is a refined language and its literature speaks of refined life, of cultured life. Knowledge of Sanskrit is hence essential, certainly in कलियुग. It will be the real beacon to meet the challenges of the evil without compromising the refined thoughts and conduct.
भजे is also an interesting word. From भजे we have the noun भजनम्, which has two meanings - (1) a song of devotion (2) to sing a song of devotion.
By this connotation, भजे means not just "I do devotion", but "I do devotion by singing a song of devotion".
In the second sentence, the word was "रामम् = to RAma" in object case or accusative case, which is called the second case, द्वितीया विभक्तिः
Here we have it as "रामेण = by RAma" in instrumental case, which is called as the third case, तृतीया विभक्तिः
I guess, you got a good hint of why this verse is chosen for this lesson! Two sentences in each line, each sentence presenting cases first, second, third etc. of the root word राम, all in perfect order and every line perfectly in शार्दूलविक्रीडितम् meter !
निशाचरचमू रामाय = निशाचरचमू: रामाय
निशाचरचमू: = निशाचराणाम् चमू: A compound of षष्ठी तत्पुरुष type. Army of beings capable of roaming in the night.
रामेणाभिहता निशाचरचमू: = Army of nocturnal beings was destroyed by RAma.
रामाय तस्मै नमः = bowing (I bow) unto that RAma. Here, "that" hints also to that RAma who destroyed army of nocturnal beings.
रामान्नास्ति = रामात् न अस्ति
परायणं = परायणम् = परम् अयनम् A compound of type कर्मधारय . In the compounded word न of अयनम् becomes ण. Hence परायणम् from परम् अयनम्. There are rules for all such minute variations. We shall not go into all that at this stage. It is mentioned here just for information. Our focus shall be in understanding the meaning, than understanding all the grammar.
रामस्य दासो ऽ स्म्यहम् = रामस्य दासः अस्मि अहम्
रामे चित्तलय: सदा भवतु मे
रामे = at RAma. रामे is declension of राम in the seventh i.e. locative case सप्तमी विभक्ति:
मे = for me or of me
रामे चित्तलय: सदा भवतु मे = Resting of my mind may always be at RAma or For me, resting of mind may always be at RAma.
भो राम मामुद्धर = भोः राम माम् उद्धर
भोः = an interjection to back a call "Oh" or "Eh"
भो राम मामुद्धर = भोः राम माम् उद्धर = Oh RAma, please uplift me !
Isn't that a good prayer ? It brings out all the ardent feelings a devotee would have towards one's object or idol of devotion.
(source: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/sb_marathalli/llMPoxlTYo0)
रामेणाभिहता निशाचरचमूः रामाय तस्मै नमः ।
रामान्नास्ति परायणंपरतरं रामस्य दासोस्म्यहं
रामे चित्तलयस्सदा भवतु मे भो राम मामुद्धर ॥
(this sloka is taken from श्रीरामरक्षास्तोत्रम्)
In this verse there are two distinct sentences in each line. So, to explore the meaning of this verse, we have to understand just 8 simple sentences.
Let us start off by the set methodology of exploring phrase by phrase, word by word.
रामो राजमणिः = राम: राजमणिः
राम: = (Lord) RAma
राजमणिः = राजानाम् मणिः
राजानाम् = of kings
मणिः = jewel
राजानाम् मणिः = jewel among kings
सदा = always
विजयते = is victorious
रामो राजमणिः सदा विजयते = RAma, the jewel among kings is always victorious
रामं = रामम् = to RAma
रमेशं = रमेशम्
रामो राजमणिः सदा विजयते = RAma, the jewel among kings is always victorious
रामं = रामम् = to RAma
रमेशं = रमेशम्
रमेशम् = रमेश: --> तम् --> रमेशम्
रमेश: = रमायाः ईशः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष- समासः)
रमायाः = of RamA रमा is the name of wife of ViShNu
ईशः = Lord
रमायाः ईशः = Lord of RamA, hence ViShNu
भजे = I am devoted to, or I do devotion to.
रामं रमेशं भजे = I do devotion to RAma, (hence) to Ramesha (i.e. to ViShNu)One may ask, how doing devotion to RAma becomes devotion also to ViShNu. The logic lies in the mythology of incarnations of ViShNu. Among ten incarnations (दशावताराः) of ViShNu, RAma is regarded as the seventh. So, mythologically, ViShNu is the supreme deity, which undertook ten incarnations in the order - मत्स्य, कूर्म, वराह, नृसिंह, वामन, परशुराम, राम, कृष्ण, बुद्ध, कल्कि
When I deliberate on this mythology of दशावताराः to me it appeals to be the theory of evolution of life. When the globe was cooling down, and migratory life form had to emerge, it could have emerged only in the more congenial environment of water and not on the terrains. So first incarnation is मत्स्य, the fish. Next is कूर्म, the turtle, which could move both in water and on ground; yet more in water than on ground. Third वराह the rhino, who loves watery surroundings, but moves on ground of shallow waters. Fourth is नृसिंह, half lion (सिंह), half human (नृ). Fifth वामन, human, rather dimunitive. Sixth परशुराम, human, but rather savage, uncultured. Seventh राम, the ideal human. Eighth कृष्ण, adept at the ways of the world. Ninth बुद्ध, the exalted, self-realised soul. Tenth कल्कि where good and evil coexist.
Associated with this mythology of दशावताराः is also the concept of passage of time, the four Yuga's - कृत त्रेता द्वापार कलि. Incarnation of RAma is said to belong to कृत-युग Not much detail seems to have been mentioned about त्रेतायुग The incarnation of कृष्ण is said to belong to द्वापारयुग. Present times are of कलियुग, where good and evil coexist, rather times, when good is always challenged by the evil.Learning Sanskrit is not just for learning a language. It is also a learning of what can be or what should be the cultured way of life. The language is a refined language and its literature speaks of refined life, of cultured life. Knowledge of Sanskrit is hence essential, certainly in कलियुग. It will be the real beacon to meet the challenges of the evil without compromising the refined thoughts and conduct.
भजे is also an interesting word. From भजे we have the noun भजनम्, which has two meanings - (1) a song of devotion (2) to sing a song of devotion.
By this connotation, भजे means not just "I do devotion", but "I do devotion by singing a song of devotion".
This word भजे is a declension of the root verb भज् meaning "to do devotion". From this verb भज् there is another noun, भक्तिः which means "devotion". One can do devotion in any of nine ways. नवविधा भक्तिः Doing devotion by singing a song of devotion i.e. by भजनम् is one of nine ways नवविधा भक्तिः There is a verse summing up all the nine ways of नवविधा भक्तिः Maybe, we can discuss that verse sometime later.
Presently on to the next phrase.
रामेणाभिहता = रामेण + अभिहता
रामेण = by RAma
अभिहता = consummately killed, destroyed
A little study on both these words -
रामेण = by RAma
It may be noticed that in the first sentence राम: was the subject. So the root word राम was in subjective or nominative case, which is called as first case प्रथमा विभक्तिः.In the second sentence, the word was "रामम् = to RAma" in object case or accusative case, which is called the second case, द्वितीया विभक्तिः
Here we have it as "रामेण = by RAma" in instrumental case, which is called as the third case, तृतीया विभक्तिः
I guess, you got a good hint of why this verse is chosen for this lesson! Two sentences in each line, each sentence presenting cases first, second, third etc. of the root word राम, all in perfect order and every line perfectly in शार्दूलविक्रीडितम् meter !
अभिहता = consummately killed, destroyed. The meaning "consummately" comes from the prefix अभि. There is a large number of prefixes, which can be prefixed to different words to get a range of shades of meaning of that word. The prefixes उपसर्गाः or उपपदानि not only help to get a range of shades of meaning, but do it so crisply, just by a prefix. We have that in most languages also, e.g. eject, reject, inject, project, adject(ive), abject
निशाचरचमू रामाय = निशाचरचमू: रामाय
निशाचरचमू: = निशा + चर + चमू:
निशाचर = Here we have a suffix चर attached to the word निशा.
The suffix चर is derived from the verb चर meaning "to move, to move about, to roam". The suffix such as चर lends the meaning of capability to do the action of the meaning of the verb. So suffix चर means capable of roaming.
निशा = night
निशाचर = निशायाम् चरति इति capable of roaming in the night, ghost, nocturnal being. All राक्षसा: of army of रावण had such capability. They were निशाचरा:.
चमू: = armyनिशाचरचमू: = निशाचराणाम् चमू: A compound of षष्ठी तत्पुरुष type. Army of beings capable of roaming in the night.
रामेणाभिहता निशाचरचमू: = Army of nocturnal beings was destroyed by RAma.
This sentence is in passive voice. The passive voice is rendered by अभिहता which is a past passive participle from the verb अभि + हन्
This is another speciality of Sanskrit, that participles derived from verbs can do the function of verbs, such that a formal verb need not be visible.
रामाय = unto RAma. This is declension of राम in the dative case, the fourth case चतुर्थी विभक्तिः
रामाय तस्मै नमः
रामाय = unto RAma. This is declension of राम in the dative case, the fourth case चतुर्थी विभक्तिः
तस्मै = unto that This is declension of a pronoun तत् the indicative pronoun meaning "that", again in the fourth case. Because this pronoun qualifies the noun राम, both the noun and the qualifying pronoun (or adjective) have to be in the same case, here the fourth case.
नमः = bowing.
रामाय तस्मै नमः = bowing (I bow) unto that RAma. Here, "that" hints also to that RAma who destroyed army of nocturnal beings.
रामान्नास्ति = रामात् न अस्ति
रामात् = from RAma, than RAma. This is declension of राम in the ablative case, the fifth case पञ्चमी विभक्तिः
न = not. An indeclinable used to render negative.
अस्ति = is
परायणं = परायणम् = परम् अयनम् A compound of type कर्मधारय . In the compounded word न of अयनम् becomes ण. Hence परायणम् from परम् अयनम्. There are rules for all such minute variations. We shall not go into all that at this stage. It is mentioned here just for information. Our focus shall be in understanding the meaning, than understanding all the grammar.
परम् = the other
अयनम् = the action of going, destination, recourse
परतरं = परतरम् Adjective of comparative degree from the root adjective पर. तर is the suffix which renders the comparative degree of an adjective. The superlative degree is rendered by suffix तम
रामान्नास्ति परायणम् परतरम् = There is no better recourse than RAma.
रामान्नास्ति परायणम् परतरम् = There is no better recourse than RAma.
रामस्य दासो ऽ स्म्यहम् = रामस्य दासः अस्मि अहम्
रामस्य = of RAma रामस्य is declension of राम in the sixth i.e. genetive case षष्ठी विभक्ति:
दासः = servent
अस्मि = (I) am
अहम् = I
रामस्य दासः अस्मि अहम् = I am servent of RAma
रामे चित्तलय: सदा भवतु मे
रामे = at RAma. रामे is declension of राम in the seventh i.e. locative case सप्तमी विभक्ति:
चित्तलय: = चित्तस्य लय: A compound of षष्ठी तत्पुरुष type
चित्तस्य = of mind
लय: = resting
सदा = always
भवतु = may be, may stay
मे = for me or of me
रामे चित्तलय: सदा भवतु मे = Resting of my mind may always be at RAma or For me, resting of mind may always be at RAma.
भो राम मामुद्धर = भोः राम माम् उद्धर
भोः = an interjection to back a call "Oh" or "Eh"
राम = address to RAma to mean "Eh RAma" राम as हे राम is declension of राम in address case संबोधन-विभक्ति:
माम् = to me
उद्धर = (please) uplift
भो राम मामुद्धर = भोः राम माम् उद्धर = Oh RAma, please uplift me !
RAma, the jewel among kings is always victoriousI do devotion to RAma, (hence) to Ramesha (i.e. to ViShNu)
by singing a song of devotionArmy of nocturnal beings was destroyed by RAmaI bow unto that RAmaThere is no better recourse than RAmaI am servent of RAmaResting of my mind may always be at RAmaOh RAma, please uplift me !
by singing a song of devotionArmy of nocturnal beings was destroyed by RAmaI bow unto that RAmaThere is no better recourse than RAmaI am servent of RAmaResting of my mind may always be at RAmaOh RAma, please uplift me !
Isn't that a good prayer ? It brings out all the ardent feelings a devotee would have towards one's object or idol of devotion.
(source: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/sb_marathalli/llMPoxlTYo0)
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