Shloka 1

सीतासमीपगमनम् / Sītā Brought Near to Rāma

Public Witness and Protocol

Devanagari script

स उवाचमहाप्रामस्सोऽभिवाद्यप्लवङ्गमः ।रामंवचनमर्थज्ञोवरंसर्वधनुष्मताम् ।।।।

Transliteration

sa uvāca mahāprājñaḥ so 'bhivādya plavaṅgamaḥ |

rāmaṃ vacanam arthajño varaṃ sarvadhanuṣmatām ||6.117.1||

Translation

Jener Plavaṅgama, hochweise und des Sinnes kundig, verneigte sich ehrerbietig und sprach dann zu Rāma—dem Vorzüglichsten unter allen Bogenschützen—mit gehaltvollen Worten.

Word by Word

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

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महाप्राज्ञः: highly learned
• महाप्राज्ञः: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + prājña (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः; विशेषण (to सः/प्लवङ्गमः)

• सः: that (same) he
• सः: कर्ता
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पुनरुक्त-प्रयोग (emphatic)

• अभिवाद्य: having greeted
• अभिवाद्य: पूर्वक्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi + √vad (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष (Absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• प्लवङ्गमः: the monkey
• प्लवङ्गमः: कर्ता
• Type: Noun
• Root: plavaṅgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• रामम्: Rama
• रामम्: कर्म (Object of अभिवाद्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वचनम्: speech/words
• वचनम्: कर्म (Object of उवाच)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अर्थज्ञः: knower of meaning
• अर्थज्ञः: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: artha + jña (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अर्थस्य ज्ञः)

• वरम्: the best/choicest
• वरम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (to रामम् understood: 'the best')

• सर्वधनुष्मताम्: of all bowmen
• सर्वधनुष्मताम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive domain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva + dhanuṣmat (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषां धनुष्मतां मध्ये) used as genitive of comparison/superlative domain

Context

Highly learned Hanuman greeted and spoke meaningfully to Rama, the foremost among the wielders of bow.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān (implied as the monkey-messenger)
• Rāma

FAQs

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

Dharma of communication and hierarchy: one should speak with respect (abhivāda) and with meaningful, responsible words (arthavat vacana).

What is the narrative situation?

At the opening of the next chapter, Hanumān formally greets Rāma and begins his report.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Hanumān’s wisdom and disciplined speech, and his reverence toward Rāma.