Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 53, Shloka 36

लाङ्गूलदाह-पर्यटनम्

The Burning Tail and the Parade through Laṅkā

Devanagari script

अथवा तदिदं व्यक्तं यद्दृष्टं प्लवता मया।।5.53.36।।रामप्रभावादाश्चर्यं पर्वत स्सरितां पतौ।

Transliteration

athavā tad idaṃ vyaktaṃ yad dṛṣṭaṃ plavatā mayā ||5.53.36|| rāmaprabhāvād āścaryaṃ parvataḥ saritāṃ patau |

Translation

“Or else, this is now clear: that wonder I saw while leaping—the mountain rising in the Lord of rivers (the sea)—was due to Rāma’s power; so too is this.”

Word by Word

• अथवा: or else
• अथवा: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive 'or else')

• तत्: that
• तत्: विशेषण (determiner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here as determiner with idam

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject of vyaktam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• व्यक्तम्: clear, evident
• व्यक्तम्: कर्ता-विशेषण (predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक; from √व्यञ्ज्/व्यज्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त/विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'clear/manifest'

• यत्: which
• यत्: सम्बन्ध (relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative)

• दृष्टम्: seen
• दृष्टम्: कर्म (Karma; 'what was seen')
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'seen'

• प्लवता: by (me) leaping
• प्लवता: कर्ता (agent in instrumental)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्लु (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; 'by me while leaping'

• मया: by me
• मया: कर्ता (Karta/agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• राम-प्रभावात्: from Rama's power
• राम-प्रभावात्: हेतु (Hetu/cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रामस्य प्रभावः)

• आश्चर्यम्: a wonder
• आश्चर्यम्: कर्ता/कर्म (as predicate noun: 'a wonder')
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्चर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पर्वतः: a mountain
• पर्वतः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; understood 'was')
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सरिताम्: of rivers
• सरिताम्: सम्बन्ध (genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• पतौ: in the lord (of rivers), the sea
• पतौ: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; 'in the lord' i.e., in the sea

Context

'It must be due to the power of Rama, by which I found a wonderful mountain emerging from the sea to give me protection while I was crossing the ocean. Now evidently this is due to Rama's power (that my tail is not burning me).

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Rāma
• Samudra (ocean/sea)
• Maināka (implied by context)
• parvata (mountain)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

It teaches humility and attribution: success in dharmic work is credited to the righteous leader and the cause (Rāma), not merely personal power.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān connects his present protection from fire with earlier divine assistance during his ocean-crossing.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bhakti and gratitude—Hanumān interprets protection as Rāma’s prabhāva (moral-spiritual power).