स शिष्यहस्तादादाय वल्कलं नियतेन्द्रिय: । विचचार ह पश्यंस्तत्सर्वतो विपुलं वनम् ।।1.2.8।।
Meaning
Valmiki, his senses fully mastered, took the garment from his disciple's hands and wandered on, taking in the wide forest all around.
Word-by-word (pada-artha)
| Word | Devanagari | Meaning | Grammatical role |
|---|---|---|---|
| saḥ | सः | he | Subject — nominative singular |
| śiṣyahastāt | शिष्यहस्तात् | from the disciple's hand | Ablative of source |
| ādāya | आदाय | having taken | Absolutive |
| valkalam | वल्कलम् | the bark garment | Object — accusative singular |
| niyatendriyaḥ | नियतेन्द्रियः | with senses fully mastered | Bahuvrihi epithet — nominative |
| vicacāra | विचचार | wandered about | Main verb — perfect 3rd sg |
| ha | ह | indeed (narrative emphasis) | Particle |
| paśyan | पश्यन् | looking at | Present participle — nominative |
| tat | तत् | that | Demonstrative — accusative neuter |
| sarvataḥ | सर्वतः | on every side | Adverb of place |
| vipulam | विपुलम् | vast, wide-spreading | Adjective qualifying vanam |
| vanam | वनम् | forest | Object of paśyan — accusative |
Scholar commentary
valmikiramayan.net Prose Commentary
Desiraju Hanumanta Rao's prose rendering with embedded explanatory notes
This passage (shlokas 3-8) moves from Valmiki setting out for the Tamasa river to his exchange with his disciple Bharadwaja -- asking him to bring the bark garment and set down the water pot, since he means to bathe at the river's best ford. Bharadwaja, described as an obedient disciple, hands him the cloth, and Valmiki proceeds alone into the forest, taking in his surroundings as he walks.
1 of 16 traditions have commentary on this shloka. Traditions without a verse-specific commentary here are omitted rather than filled in.
Reference: 1.2.8 · Bāla Kāṇḍa