Shloka 7

समुद्रलङ्घनारम्भः

Commencement of the Ocean-Crossing

Devanagari script

स तस्य गिरिवर्यस्य तले नागवरायुते।तिष्ठन् कपिवरस्तत्र ह्रदे नाग इवाबभौ।।।।

Transliteration

sa tasya girivaryasya tale nāgavarāyute | tiṣṭhan kapivaras tatra hrade nāga ivābabhau ||

Translation

Am Fuße jenes vortrefflichen Berges, reich an herrlichen Elefanten, stand der vornehmste der Affen dort und glich einem Elefanten mitten in einem See.

Word by Word

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

• sūryāya: to the Sun
• sūryāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन

• mahendrāya: to Mahendra (Indra)
• mahendrāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahendra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• pavanāya: to the Wind-god
• pavanāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pavana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• svayaṃbhuve: to the Self-born (Brahmā)
• svayaṃbhuve: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svayaṃbhū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• bhūtebhyaḥ: to the beings/spirits
• bhūtebhyaḥ: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी/पञ्चमी विभक्ति (Dat./Abl.), बहुवचन; अत्र चतुर्थी (to beings)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक

• añjalim: salutation with folded palms
• añjalim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: añjali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• kṛtvā: having made/offered
• kṛtvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund) = ‘कृत्वा’ (having done/offered)

• cakāra: made, formed
• cakāra: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• gamane: in going, for departure
• gamane: Viṣaya-adhikaraṇa (विषय-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gamana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; विषय/अधिकरण (in the matter of going)

• matim: intention, resolve
• matim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Context

As the monkey leader stood at the foot of the great mountain filled with lordly elephants he looked like an elephant standing at the centre of a pond.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Mountain (Mahendra implied by context of Sundarakāṇḍa 1)

FAQs

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

Dharma is preparedness for righteous action: before great deeds, one stands poised, gathering strength for service rather than acting rashly.

What is the narrative situation?

Before the ocean-leap, Hanumān stands at the mountain’s foot, described with a calm yet powerful simile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sthairya (steadiness) and readiness—quiet power aligned with duty.