श्रीवाल्मीकिरुवाच । इत्युक्ते मुनिनाथेन सन्देहवति पार्थिवे । खेदवत्यास्थिते मौनं किञ्चित्कालप्रतीक्षणे ॥ १ ॥
śrīvālmīkiruvāca | ityuktē munināthēna sandēhavati pārthivē | khēdavatyāsthitē maunaṁ kiñcitkālapratīkṣaṇē || 1 ||
Translation
Śrī Vālmīki said: When the lord of sages had spoken so, the king, full of doubt and sorrow, fell silent, waiting a while for what would come;
Word by word
- śrī
- Śrī
- vālmīkiḥ
- Vālmīki
- uvāca
- said
- iti
- so
- uktē
- when had spoken
- muni
- of sages
- nāthēna
- the lord
- sandēhavati
- full of doubt
- pārthivē
- the king
- khēdavati
- and sorrow
- āsthitē
- fell into
- maunaṁ
- silence
- kiñcit
- a while
- kāla
- for the time
- pratīkṣaṇē
- waiting
Meaning
Vasiṣṭha has just told Daśaratha (1.5.14–15) that Rāma's sorrow has a deep cause. The king is not reassured; he waits, unsure. Verses 1 and 2 set the scene for an arrival that will change everything.