Valmiki Ramayana 1.1.63 — Bala Kanda, Sarga 1, Shloka 63

श्रीमद्रामायणकथासङ्क्षेपः / The Ramayana in Synopsis

Narada’s Summary to Valmiki

Devanagari script

सुग्रीवश्शङ्कितश्चासीन्नित्यं वीर्येण राघवे ।।।।राघवप्रत्ययार्थं तु दुन्दुभे: कायमुत्तमम् ।दर्शयामास सुग्रीवो महापर्वतसन्निभम् ।।।।

Transliteration

sugrīvaḥ śaṅkitaś cāsīn nityaṃ vīryeṇa rāghave |

rāghava-pratyayārthaṃ tu dundubheḥ kāyam uttamam |

darśayāmāsa sugrīvo mahā-parvata-sannibham ||

Translation

Sugrīva blieb stets unsicher hinsichtlich Rāghavas Kraft; darum, um ihm einen Beweis zu geben und Vertrauen zu festigen, zeigte er den erhabenen Leib Dundubhis, einem mächtigen Berge gleich.

Word by Word

• sugrīvaḥ: Sugrīva
• sugrīvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sugrīva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nom/1st), Ekavacana

• śaṅkitaḥ: doubtful / apprehensive
• śaṅkitaḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण) (subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaṅkita (प्रातिपदिक; PPP from √śaṅk) (कृदन्तवत्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate adjective with āsīt

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• āsīt: was
• āsīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (अस्) (धातु)
• Form: Tinganta, Parasmaipada; Lakāra: Laṅ (Imperfect/अनद्यतनभूत), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana

• nityam: always
• nityam: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) (time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक used adverbially)
• Form: Avyaya-kalpa (क्रियाविशेषणवत्), adverbial accusative = 'always'

• vīryeṇa: about (his) prowess / by prowess
• vīryeṇa: Karaṇa (करण) / Viṣaya (विषय) (regarding prowess)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Tṛtīyā (Instrumental/3rd), Ekavacana; viṣaya/hetu-instrument sense

• rāghave: regarding Rāghava (Rāma)
• rāghave: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) (reference/viṣaya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī (Locative/7th), Ekavacana; viṣaya-locative = 'in/with regard to Rāghava'

• rāghavapratyayārtham: for (Rāma’s) assurance/conviction
• rāghavapratyayārtham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन) (purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava + pratyaya + artha (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Dvitīyā (Acc/2nd), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: (rāghavasya pratyayaḥ) + arthaḥ → 'for the sake of Rāghava’s conviction'

• tu: indeed / however
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) (discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle (निपात) expressing emphasis/contrast

• dundubheḥ: of Dundubhi
• dundubheḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) (genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dundubhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (Gen/6th), Ekavacana

• kāyam: body
• kāyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc/2nd), Ekavacana

• uttamam: excellent / huge
• uttamam: Karma (कर्म) (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of kāyam

• darśayāmāsa: showed
• darśayāmāsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश्) (धातु) + ṇic (causative/णिच्) → darśaya + liṭ
• Form: Tinganta, Parasmaipada; Causative (णिच्), Lakāra: Liṭ (Perfect), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana

• sugrīvaḥ: Sugrīva
• sugrīvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sugrīva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana (re-stated subject)

• mahāparvatasannibham: resembling a great mountain
• mahāparvatasannibham: Karma (कर्म) (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + parvata + sannibha (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: mahāparvata-sannibha = 'resembling a great mountain'; viśeṣaṇa of kāyam

Context

Doubtful of the prowess Sugriva of Rama Sugriva inorder to get convinced showed him the huge (dead) body of Dundubhi resembling a big mountain.

Characters & Entities

• Sugrīva
• Rāma (Rāghava)
• Dundubhi

FAQs

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

Dharma here supports responsible judgment: before entering a dangerous conflict, Sugrīva seeks reasonable assurance. Ethical action is not blind impulse but informed trust grounded in evidence.

What is the narrative situation?

Before confronting Vāli, Sugrīva tests and confirms whether Rāma’s strength is sufficient, using Dundubhi’s massive corpse as a reference point.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sugrīva’s caution and practical wisdom (viveka) are highlighted—he seeks verification to protect the alliance and ensure the vow can be fulfilled.