Shloka 2

सागरप्रशमनम् / The Pacification of the Ocean and the Building of Nala’s Bridge

Devanagari script

शरनिर्दग्धतोयस्यपरिशुष्कस्यसागर: ।मयाशोषितसत्त्वस्यपांसुरुत्पद्यतेमहान् ।।।।

Transliteration

śaranirdagdhatoyasya pariśuṣkasya sāgaraḥ |

mayā śoṣitasattvasya pāṁsur utpadyate mahān ||

Translation

«O Ozean! Wenn ich deine Wasser mit meinen Pfeilen versenge und dich gänzlich austrockne, wird ein gewaltiges Sandbett freigelegt.»

Word by Word

• śara-nirdagdha-toyasya: whose water is burnt/dried by arrows
• śara-nirdagdha-toyasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक) + nirdagdha (दह्-धातु + क्त) + toya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; तत्पुरुष: 'śaraiḥ nirdagdhaṃ toyaṃ yasya' qualifying sāgarasya

• pariśuṣkasya: of (one) completely dried
• pariśuṣkasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari + śuṣ (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; qualifying sāgarasya

• sāgaraḥ: the ocean
• sāgaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāgara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• śoṣita-sattvasya: whose essence/creatures are dried up
• śoṣita-sattvasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śoṣita (śuṣ-धातु + क्त) + sattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; तत्पुरुष: 'śoṣitaṃ sattvaṃ yasya' = 'whose inner essence/creatures are dried' qualifying sāgarasya

• pāṃsuḥ: sand, dust
• pāṃsuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāṃsu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• utpadyate: arises, appears
• utpadyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud + pad (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada

• mahān: great, huge
• mahān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; qualifying pāṃsuḥ

Context

Then Sagara, the Lord of the ocean himself rising like the Sun over the mighty Meru Mountain rose from the middle of the ocean.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sāgara (Ocean-god)

FAQs

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

The verse foregrounds kṣātra-dharma (the warrior’s duty): power is used to remove obstruction when righteous aims are blocked. It also warns that force has sweeping consequences and must be invoked with moral clarity.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma, halted before the ocean while seeking passage to Laṅkā, declares that he can dry up the sea itself with his arrows if it does not yield a way.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s resolve and protective leadership—his willingness to act decisively for the mission of rescuing Sītā and restoring dharma.