Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 4, Shloka 92

समुद्रतट-प्रयाणम् तथा वेलावन-निवेशः

March to the Seacoast and Encampment at the Shore

Devanagari script

पादपानवभञ्जन्तो विकर्षन्त स्तथा लताः ।विधमन्तो गिरिवरान्प्रययुः प्लवगर्षभाः ।।।।

Transliteration

pādapān avabhañjanto vikarṣantas tathā latāḥ |

vidhamanto girivarān prayayuḥ plavagarṣabhāḥ ||

Translation

The foremost of the leapers pressed on—splintering trees, tearing down creepers, and battering even the best of mountains as they went.

Word by Word

• pādapān: trees
• pādapān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pādapa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• avabhañjantaḥ: breaking down
• avabhañjantaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Agent-participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-√bhañj (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle)

• vikarṣantaḥ: dragging, pulling out
• vikarṣantaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Agent-participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√kṛṣ (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle)

• tathā: also
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• latāḥ: creepers
• latāḥ: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: latā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• vidhamantaḥ: shaking, battering
• vidhamantaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Agent-participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√dham (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle: 'shaking/assailing')

• girivarān: great mountains
• girivarān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: girivara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural); कर्मधारय (varaḥ giriḥ)

• prayayuḥ: went forth
• prayayuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√yā (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• plavaga-ṛṣabhāḥ: bulls among monkeys (best monkeys)
• plavaga-ṛṣabhāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: plavaga (प्रातिपदिक) + ṛṣabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः तत्पुरुष (plavagānām ṛṣabhāḥ: best among monkeys)

Context

The vanaras (who are best among leaping animals) went smashing the trees, pulling out the creepers and purposefully destroying the mountains (on their way).

Characters & Entities

• Vānaras
• Mountains

FAQs

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

Dharma requires power to be governed by purpose; destruction without necessity becomes adharma, even for the strong.

What is the narrative situation?

The vānaras, overflowing with energy, surge forward and leave a trail of damage through forests and rocky terrain.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The needed virtue is discipline (vinaya/dama): strength should be directed, not merely displayed.