अहं वेद्मि महात्मानं रामं राजीवलोचनम् । वसिष्ठश्च महातेजा ये चाऽन्ये दीर्घदर्शिनः ॥ २१ ॥
ahaṁ vēdmi mahātmānaṁ rāmaṁ rājīvalōcanam | vasiṣṭhaśca mahātējā yē cā’nyē dīrghadarśinaḥ || 21 ||
Translation
"I know Rāma, the lotus-eyed, to be a great soul; so does Vasiṣṭha of great splendour, and the others who see far.
Word by word
- ahaṁ
- I
- vēdmi
- know
- mahātmānaṁ
- to be a great soul
- rāmaṁ
- Rāma
- rājīva
- lotus
- lōcanam
- eyed
- vasiṣṭhaś
- (vasiṣṭhaḥ) Vasiṣṭha
- ca
- and
- mahātējā
- (mahātejāḥ) of great splendour
- yē
- who
- anyē
- the others
- dīrgha
- far
- darśinaḥ
- see
Meaning
This is the first hint, in the sage's mouth, that Rāma is more than he seems. Another commentary reads "mahātmā" as the Lord himself, not an ordinary man.