Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 62, Shloka 26

शुनश्शेफरक्षा–विश्वामित्रशापः

Sunassepha’s Rescue and Visvamitra’s Curse

Devanagari script

तत: प्रीत स्सहस्राक्षो रहस्यस्तुतितर्पित:।दीर्घमायुस्तदा प्रादाच्छुनश्शेफाय राघव ।।।।

Transliteration

tataḥ prītaḥ sahasrākṣo rahasyastutitarpitaḥ | dīrgham āyus tadā prādāc chunaśśephāya rāghava ||

Translation

Daraufhin wurde der tausendäugige Indra—durch den geheimen Lobgesang gesättigt—voll Freude und gewährte Śunaḥśepha damals langes Leben, o Rāghava.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• prītaḥ: pleased
• prītaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prīta (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from √prī)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of sahasrākṣaḥ

• sahasrākṣaḥ: Sahasrākṣa (Indra)
• sahasrākṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra-akṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास: sahasra (thousand) + akṣa (eyes); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• rahasya-stuti-tarpitaḥ: gratified by secret praise
• rahasya-stuti-tarpitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rahasya-stuti-tarpita (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from √tṛp with causative sense)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (chain): rahasya + stuti + tarpita; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of sahasrākṣaḥ

• dīrgham: long
• dīrgham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīrgha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of āyuḥ

• āyuḥ: life
• āyuḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āyus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tadā: at that time
• tadā: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• prādāt: gave
• prādāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (दा) (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist/Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमा पुरुष, एकवचन

• śunaḥśephāya: to Śunaḥśepha
• śunaḥśephāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śunaḥśepha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन

• rāghava: O Rāghava (Rama)
• rāghava: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Context

"O Descendant of Raghu (Rama)! Indra, gratified with the secret hymn granted Sunassepha long life.

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Sahasrākṣa)
• Śunaḥśepha
• Rāma (Rāghava)

FAQs

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

Right intention and truthful devotion are shown as efficacious: dharmic speech and inner sincerity (rahasya-stuti) invite divine protection rather than exploitation of the helpless.

What is the narrative situation?

Indra is pleased by Śunaḥśepha’s hymn and grants him the boon of long life.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Spiritual integrity—turning to disciplined praise and truth in a moment of mortal danger.