Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 35, Shloka 19

रामलक्षणवर्णनम्

Description of Rama and Lakshmana; Alliance Narrative to Sita

Devanagari script

चतुर्दशसमद्वन्द्वश्चतुर्दंष्ट्रश्चतुर्गतिः।महोष्ठहनुनासश्च पञ्चस्निग्धोऽष्टवंशवान्।।।।

Transliteration

caturdaśa-samadvandvaś caturdaṁṣṭraś caturgatiḥ | mahōṣṭha-hanu-nāsaś ca pañca-snigdho ’ṣṭavaṁśavān ||

Translation

In vierzehn paarigen Merkmalen ist er wohl ausgewogen; er hat vier hervortretende Zähne und kann sich je nach Anlass in vier edlen Gangarten bewegen. Seine Lippen, sein Kiefer und seine Nase sind eindrucksvoll; fünf Teile sind glatt und glänzend, und acht Teile sind lang.

Word by Word

• caturdaśa-sama-dvandvaḥ: with fourteen pairs/parts well-proportioned
• caturdaśa-sama-dvandvaḥ: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturdaśa (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + sama (प्रातिपदिक) + dvandva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (fourteen + even/proportioned pairs)

• catur-daṃṣṭraḥ: having four prominent teeth
• catur-daṃṣṭraḥ: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + daṃṣṭrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास

• catur-gatiḥ: having four kinds of gait
• catur-gatiḥ: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास

• mahā-oṣṭha-hanu-nāsaḥ: with prominent lips, jaw, and nose
• mahā-oṣṭha-hanu-nāsaḥ: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + oṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + hanu (प्रातिपदिक) + nāsā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: महान्ति ओष्ठ-हनु-नासाः यस्य सः

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

• pañca-snigdhaḥ: smooth in five parts
• pañca-snigdhaḥ: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañca (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + snigdha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास

• aṣṭa-vaṃśa-vān: having eight long parts (well-extended)
• aṣṭa-vaṃśa-vān: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭa (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + vaṃśa (प्रातिपदिक) + -vat (वत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वत्-प्रत्ययान्त

Context

"Where did you come in contact with Rama? How did you assess Lakshmana? How did an alliance of vanaras and humans take place?

Characters & Entities

• Rāma

FAQs

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

Adaptability in action without loss of dignity: dharma often requires choosing the right mode of conduct for the occasion while remaining principled.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān continues describing Rāma’s distinctive marks and dignified bearing, strengthening Sītā’s confidence through detail.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Practical wisdom and controlled strength—he can adjust his ‘gait’ (approach) appropriately, suggesting judgment and self-command.