Shloka 29

मैत्रीप्रतिष्ठा

Rama–Sugriva Alliance and Fire-Rite of Friendship

Devanagari script

तमद्य वालिनं पश्य तीक्ष्णैराशीविषोपमैः4.5.29।।शरैर्विनिहतं भूमौ विकीर्णमिव पर्वतम्।

Transliteration

tam adya vālinaṃ paśya tīkṣṇair āśīviṣopamaiḥ | śarair vinihataṃ bhūmau vikīrṇam iva parvatam ||4.5.29||

Translation

Sieh heute Vālin: von scharfen Pfeilen, gleich giftigen Schlangen, gefällt; er liegt auf der Erde, zersplittert wie ein Berg.

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्, सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• tat-vacanam: those words
• tat-vacanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (that speech/words)

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (श्रु, धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त्वा/absolutive), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having heard)

• rāghavasya: of Rama
• rāghavasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• ātmanaḥ: for himself / of self
• ātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• hitam: welfare
• hitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hita (प्रातिपदिक; from √dhā with hi-)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘benefit/welfare’ (object understood with ‘heard’ as content)

• sugrīvaḥ: Sugriva
• sugrīvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sugrīva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• parama-prītaḥ: very pleased
• parama-prītaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + prīta (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (exceedingly pleased)

• su-mahat: very great
• su-mahat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय-उपसर्ग/उपपद) + mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः (su + mahat = very great)

• vākyam: speech/statement
• vākyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• abravīt: said
• abravīt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (ब्रू, धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Context

'These arrows covered with kanka feathers, sharp and straight at the tip, comparable to great Indra's thunderbolt are (burning bright) like the sun. Looking like angry serpents, they will unfailingly strike at the miscreant Vali soon.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sugrīva
• Vālin
• arrows (śarāḥ)
• mountain (parvata)

FAQs

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

Satya as a vow of protection: Rāma’s promise functions as moral assurance—fear is removed through truthful commitment to uphold justice.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma concludes his reassurance by vividly predicting Vālin’s fall, strengthening Sugrīva’s confidence in the alliance.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s reliability and protective courage—his word is presented as certain and action-oriented.