Valmiki Ramayana 1.39.21: Bala Kanda, Sarga 39, Shloka 21

सगरयज्ञाश्वहरणम्

The Stolen Sacrificial Horse of Sagara

Devanagari script

एवं पर्वतसम्बाधं जम्बूद्वीपं नृपात्मजा:।खनन्तो नरशार्दूल सर्वत: परिचक्रमु:।।1.39.21।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 1.39.21

Transliteration

evaṁ parvatasambādhaṁ jambūdvīpaṁ nṛpātmajāḥ |

khananto naraśārdūla sarvataḥ paricakramuḥ || 1.39.21 ||

Translation

So durchgruben die Königssöhne, o Tiger unter den Menschen, Jambūdvīpa, von Bergen dicht bedrängt, und durchstreiften es nach allen Seiten.

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Word by Word

• एवम्: thus/in this way
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीति/प्रकार-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• पर्वतसम्बाधम्: crowded with mountains
• पर्वतसम्बाधम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर्वत + सम्बाध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; जम्बूद्वीपम् इति विशेषणम्; तत्पुरुषः ‘पर्वतैः सम्बाधम्’ = crowded with mountains

• जम्बूद्वीपम्: Jambūdvīpa
• जम्बूद्वीपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जम्बू + द्वीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘जम्बोः द्वीपः’ (proper name)

• नृपात्मजाः: the king’s sons
• नृपात्मजाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप + आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘नृपस्य आत्मजाः’

• खनन्तः: digging/excavating
• खनन्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खन् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कालिक कर्तरि कृदन्त (Present Active Participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; नृपात्मजाः इति विशेषणम्

• नरशार्दूल: O tiger among men
• नरशार्दूल: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + शार्दूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘नराणां शार्दूलः’

• सर्वतः: everywhere/on all sides
• सर्वतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• परिचक्रमुः: they moved about/went around
• परिचक्रमुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

Context

'This one is the destroyer of our sacrifice. He has stolen away our horse' saying so the sons of Sagara are slaying all living beings".ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē bālakāṇḍē ēkōnacatvāriṅśassarga: ৷৷Thus ends the thirtyninth sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sagara’s sons
• Jambūdvīpa

FAQs

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

Dharma requires that searching for truth be tempered by non-injury; wide-ranging effort is not righteous if it becomes destructive to the world.

What is the narrative situation?

Sagara’s sons traverse and excavate across Jambūdvīpa in all directions as part of the horse-search.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Energy and determination, though the narrative framing prepares the ethical critique of uncontrolled pursuit.