Shloka 16

पञ्चषष्टितमः सर्गः — वानराणां प्लवन-पराक्रम-निरूपणम्

Assessment of the Vanaras’ Leaping Capacity; Jambavan Motivates Hanuman

Devanagari script

स इदानीमहं वृद्धः प्लवने मन्दविक्रमः।यौवने च तदाऽसीन्मे बलमप्रतिमं परैः।।।।

Transliteration

sa idānīm ahaṃ vṛddhaḥ plavane manda-vikramaḥ |

yauvane ca tadā āsīn me balam apratimaṃ paraiḥ ||

Translation

Doch nun bin ich alt, und meine Sprungkraft ist gemindert; in meiner Jugend jedoch war meine Stärke damals von niemandem zu übertreffen.

Word by Word

• सः: that (person)
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• इदानीम्: now
• इदानीम्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इदानीम् (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (adverb: now)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वृद्धः: old
• वृद्धः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• प्लवने: in leaping
• प्लवने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्लवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण

• मन्दविक्रमः: of feeble prowess
• मन्दविक्रमः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + विक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय ( मंदः विक्रमः यस्य/मन्द-विक्रमः )

• यौवने: in youth
• यौवने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यौवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण

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

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (adverb: then)

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मे: my
• मे: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• बलम्: strength
• बलम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अप्रतिमम्: incomparable
• अप्रतिमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + प्रतिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (negated)

• परैः: by others
• परैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; करण/तुलना-प्रयोग (by others / compared with others)

Context

'Having grown old I do not have the same courage. In my youth my prowess was incomparable and none could excel me.

Characters & Entities

• Jāmbavān

FAQs

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

Satya with self-restraint: dharma requires acknowledging decline and not letting past glory distort present duty-planning.

What is the narrative situation?

He contrasts his reduced present capacity with his unmatched youthful power.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Humility grounded in truth: recognition of time’s effect without bitterness or denial.