Valmiki Ramayana 1.39.4: Bala Kanda, Sarga 39, Shloka 4

सगरयज्ञाश्वहरणम् · The Stolen Sacrificial Horse of Sagara

Devanagari script

शङ्करश्वशुरो नाम हिमवानचलोत्तमः ।

विंध्यपर्वतमासाद्य निरीक्षेते परस्परम् ॥४॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 1.39.4

Transliteration

śaṅkaraśvaśuro nāma himavān acalottamaḥ |

viṁdhyaparvatam āsādya nirīkṣete parasparam ||4||

Translation

Himavān, der erhabenste der Berge, bekannt als Śaṅkaras Schwiegervater, näherte sich dem Vindhya-Gebirge, und beide schauten einander an.

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Word by Word

• शङ्कर-श्वशुरः: Śaṅkara's father-in-law
• शङ्कर-श्वशुरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṅkara (प्रातिपदिक) + śvaśura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (śaṅkarasya śvaśuraḥ)

• नाम: named
• नाम: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामनिर्देशक

• हिमवान्: Himavān (Himalaya)
• हिमवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: himavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अचल-उत्तमः: best of mountains
• अचल-उत्तमः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: acala (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (acalānām uttamaḥ = best of mountains)

• विन्ध्य-पर्वतम्: the Vindhya mountain
• विन्ध्य-पर्वतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vindhya (प्रातिपदिक) + parvata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (vindhyaḥ parvataḥ)

• आसाद्य: having approached
• आसाद्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā-√sad (धातु) → āsādya (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund); ‘having approached/reached’

• निरीक्षेते: they behold
• निरीक्षेते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-√īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present); प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन; आत्मनेपद

• परस्परम्: each other
• परस्परम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paraspara (अव्ययवत्/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; परस्परवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (reciprocal adverb: each other)

Context

"Sankara's father-in-law named Himavan is the greatest mountain. Himavan and Vindhya came close and began looking at one another. (because both are of extreme height and in between them there was no obstruction).

Characters & Entities

• Himavān (Himalaya)
• Vindhya
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)

FAQs

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

Dharma is implicit as order and harmony in creation: the narrative locates human ritual action within a stable cosmic geography shaped by sacred beings and places.

What is the narrative situation?

Viśvāmitra describes the setting: the great mountains Himavān and Vindhya stand facing each other, framing the region where the sacrifice will occur.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Not a personal virtue but a theme of “maryādā” (proper bounds): mighty forces (mountains) stand in ordered relation, foreshadowing the importance of right limits in action.