Shloka 25

समुद्रलङ्घनारम्भः

Commencement of the Ocean-Crossing

Devanagari script

कृतकण्ठगुणाः क्षीबा रक्तमाल्यानुलेपनाः।रक्ताक्षाः पुष्कराक्षाश्च गगनं प्रतिपेदिरे।।।।

Transliteration

kṛta-kaṇṭha-guṇāḥ kṣībā rakta-mālya-anulepanāḥ | raktākṣāḥ puṣkarākṣāś ca gaganaṃ pratipedire ||

Translation

Mit Halsschmuck geziert, berauscht, mit roten Girlanden und roter Salbe geschmückt, die Augen gerötet—und doch lotusäugig—stiegen die Vidyādharas in den Himmel empor.

Word by Word

• kṛta-kaṇṭha-guṇāḥ: having necklaces/neck-ornaments
• kṛta-kaṇṭha-guṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (कृ-धातु + क्त) + kaṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi (बहुव्रीहि) compound; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• kṣībāḥ: intoxicated
• kṣībāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣība (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• rakta-mālya-anulepanāḥ: with red garlands and red unguents
• rakta-mālya-anulepanāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rakta (प्रातिपदिक) + mālya (प्रातिपदिक) + anulepana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi (बहुव्रीहि) compound; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• rakta-akṣāḥ: red-eyed
• rakta-akṣāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rakta (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi (बहुव्रीहि) compound; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• puṣkara-akṣāḥ: lotus-eyed
• puṣkara-akṣāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṣkara (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi (बहुव्रीहि) compound; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

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

• gaganam: sky
• gaganam: Karma (कर्म) (goal as object of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gagana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• pratipedire: went/attained (flew to)
• pratipedire: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati + pad (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

Context

The intoxicated vidyadharas with eyes red like lotuses, wearing garlands around the neck and smeared with red sandalpaste flew into the sky.

Characters & Entities

• Vidyādhara
• Gagana (sky)

FAQs

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

It implicitly critiques reliance on intoxication and luxury: when reality strikes, ornament and indulgence do not provide refuge; dharma rests on steadiness and clarity.

What is the narrative situation?

A descriptive follow-up: the Vidyādharas, previously reveling, flee upward in alarm.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast, Hanumān’s sobriety of purpose is highlighted against their distracted revelry.