Today we will look at the form रामलक्ष्मणौ  mNd from श्रीमद्-वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् 1.31.1.

अथ तां रजनीं तत्र कृतार्थौ रामलक्ष्मणौ । ऊषतुर्मुदितौ वीरौ प्रहृष्टेनान्तरात्मना ।। १-३१-१ ।।
प्रभातायां तु शर्वर्यां कृतपौर्वाह्णिकक्रियौ । विश्वामित्रमृषींश्चान्यान्सहितावभिजग्मतुः ।। १-३१-२ ।।
अभिवाद्य मुनिश्रेष्ठं ज्वलन्तमिव पावकम् । ऊचतुः परमोदारं वाक्यं मधुरभाषिणौ ।। १-३१-३ ।।
इमौ स्म मुनिशार्दूल किङ्करौ समुपागतौ । आज्ञापय मुनिश्रेष्ठ शासनं करवाव किम् ।। १-३१-४ ।।

Gita Press translation – Delighted on having accomplished their purpose (in the shape of protecting the sacrifice of Viśwāmitra), the two heroes Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, then spent that night with a most cheerful mind in the sacrificial hall (of Viśwāmitra at Siddhāśrama itself) (1). Having finished their morning duties at the close of night, the two brothers for their part sought together Viśwāmitra and the other Ṛṣis (2). Greeting Viśwāmitra (the foremost of the sages), who shone as a blazing fire, the two sweet-tongued brothers made the following highly noble submission :- (3) “Here are we, your servants, present before you, O tiger among hermits! Tell us, O jewel among sages, what injunction of yours should we carry out.” (4)

(1) रामश्च लक्ष्मणश्च = रामलक्ष्मणौ – Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa

(2) राम सुँ + लक्ष्मण सुँ । By 2-2-29 चार्थे द्वन्द्वः – Two or more terms having the designation पदम् and standing in a relation expressible by ‘च’ (‘and’) may optionally compound to yield a compound called द्वन्द्वः।

(3) राम सुँ + लक्ष्मण सुँ । As per 2-2-34 अल्पाच्तरम्‌ – In a द्वन्द्व: compound the term having the least number of syllables (vowels) is placed in the prior position. Since ‘राम’ has two syllables while ‘लक्ष्मण’ has three, ‘राम सुँ’ is placed in the prior position in this द्वन्द्व: compound.
Note: ‘राम सुँ + लक्ष्मण सुँ’ gets the designation प्रातिपदिकम्‌ 1-2-46 कृत्तद्धितसमासाश्च। This allows 2-4-71 to apply in the next step.

(4) राम + लक्ष्मण । By 2-4-71 सुपो धातुप्रातिपदिकयोः – A सुँप् affix takes a लुक् elision when it is a part of a धातुः or a प्रातिपदिकम्।

= रामलक्ष्मण ।

As per the सूत्रम् 2-4-26 परवल्लिङ्गं द्वन्द्वतत्पुरुषयोः, the compound प्रातिपदिकम् ‘रामलक्ष्मण’ is masculine since the final member ‘लक्ष्मण’ of the compound is masculine. This द्वन्द्वः compound (which expresses इतरेतरयोगः) is dual in number because it has two members. It declines like राम-शब्द:।

The विवक्षा is प्रथमा-द्विवचनम् ।

(5) रामलक्ष्मण + औ । By 4-1-2 स्वौजसमौट्छष्टाभ्याम्भिस्ङेभ्याम्भ्यस्ङसिँभ्याम्भ्यस्ङसोसाम्ङ्योस्सुप्।

(6) रामलक्ष्मणौ । By 6-1-88 वृद्धिरेचि । Note: 6-1-104 नादिचि stops 6-1-102 प्रथमयोः पूर्वसवर्णः।

Questions:

1. Can you spot a द्वन्द्व: compound in verse 27 of Chapter Five of the गीता?

2. Commenting on the सूत्रम् 2-2-29 चार्थे द्वन्द्वः (used in step 2) the सिद्धान्तकौमुदी says – समुच्चयान्वाचयेतरेतरयोगसमाहाराश्चार्थाः । तत्र ‘ईश्वरं गुरुं च भजस्व’ इति परस्परनिरपेक्षस्यानेकस्यैकस्मिन्नन्वयः समुच्चयः । ‘भिक्षामट गां चानय’ इत्यन्यतरस्यानुषङ्गिकत्वेनान्वयोऽन्वाचयः । अनयोरसामर्थ्यात्समासो न । Please explain.

3. Which सूत्रम् justifies the formation of the compound ‘मुनिशार्दूल’ used in the verses?

4. What type of compound is कृतार्थौ (प्रातिपदिकम् ‘कृतार्थ’, पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-द्विवचनम्) as used in the verses?
i. द्वन्द्व:
ii. कर्मधारय:
iii. बहुव्रीहि:
iv. षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष:

5. In which word in the verses has the affix ‘णिनिँ’ been used?

6. How would you say this in Sanskrit?
“(Śrī) Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa protected the sacrificial rite of the sage Viśwāmitra.” Use the masculine noun ‘यज्ञ’ for ‘sacrificial rite.’

Easy questions:

1. Which सूत्रम् prescribes the substitution ‘ष्’ in the form ऊषतु:?

2. Can you spot the augment ‘आट्’ in the verses?