Valmiki Ramayana 1.39.24: Bala Kanda, Sarga 39, Shloka 24

सगरयज्ञाश्वहरणम् · The Stolen Sacrificial Horse of Sagara

Devanagari script

भगवन् पृथिवी सर्वा खन्यते सगरात्मजैः ।

बहवश्च महात्मानो हन्यन्ते तलवासिनः ॥२४॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 1.39.24

Transliteration

bhagavan pṛthivī sarvā khanyate sagarātmajaiḥ |

bahavaś ca mahātmāno hanyante talavāsinaḥ ||24||

Translation

O gesegneter Herr, die Söhne Sagaras wühlen die ganze Erde auf, und viele erhabene Wesen, die in den unteren Regionen wohnen, werden erschlagen.

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Word by Word

• भगवन्: O venerable one
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पृथिवी: the earth
• पृथिवी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सर्वा: entire
• सर्वा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पृथिवी इति विशेषणम्

• खन्यते: is being dug up
• खन्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: खन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive/कर्मणि)

• सगरात्मजैः: by Sagara’s sons
• सगरात्मजैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सगर + आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘सगरस्य आत्मजैः’

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• महात्मानः: great beings
• महात्मानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘great-souled persons’

• हन्यन्ते: are being killed
• हन्यन्ते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive)

• तलवासिनः: dwellers of the nether regions
• तलवासिनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तल + वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः ‘तले वसन्ति’ = dwellers in the lower regions

Context

O Venerable one! the entire earth is being excavated by the sons of Sagara. Many great beings living in the lower worlds are being killed.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Sagara’s sons
• Earth (Pṛthivī)

FAQs

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

Dharma forbids harm to innocent beings: even a royal objective (protecting a yajña) becomes adharma if pursued through indiscriminate violence.

What is the narrative situation?

The petitioners inform Brahmā that the sons of Sagara are devastating the earth and killing beings in the subterranean realms.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Compassion and responsibility for the vulnerable—these beings speak up to prevent widespread injustice.