Shloka 66

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

Devanagari script

कृतानिप्रथमेनाह्नायोजनानिचतुर्दश ।प्रहृष्टैर्गजसङ्काश्चैस्त्वरमाणैःप्लवङ्गमैः ।।।।

Transliteration

kṛtāni prathamenāhnā yojanāni caturdaśa | prahṛṣṭair gajasaṅkāśais tvaramāṇaiḥ plavaṅgamaiḥ ||

Translation

Schon am ersten Tag wurden vierzehn Yojanas vollendet, von den plavaṅgamas, elefantengleich an Gestalt, freudig und in eiliger Arbeit.

Word by Word

• kṛtāni: were made/built
• kṛtāni: Kriyā (क्रिया; predicate adjective)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Plural)

• prathamena: by the first
• prathamena: Kāla-karaṇa (काल-करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prathama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental, Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifying ahnā)

• ahnā: in a day
• ahnā: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ahan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Instrumental, Singular)

• yojanāni: yojanas (measures)
• yojanāni: Kartā (कर्ता; subject of kṛtāni)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Plural)

• caturdaśa: fourteen
• caturdaśa: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturdaśa (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु/संख्यावाचक; अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (indeclinable numeral in count); ‘fourteen’ (qualifying yojanāni)

• prahṛṣṭaiḥ: by the delighted
• prahṛṣṭaiḥ: Kartṛ-karaṇa (कर्ता-करण; agent in passive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra+hṛṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural)

• gajasaṅkāśaiḥ: elephant-like
• gajasaṅkāśaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gaja + saṅkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘elephant-like’); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural)

• tvaramāṇaiḥ: hastening
• tvaramāṇaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tvar (धातु)
• Form: शानच् (Present middle participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural)

• plavaṅgamaiḥ: by the monkeys
• plavaṅgamaiḥ: Kartṛ-karaṇa (कर्ता-करण; agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: plavaṅgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural)

Context

Elephants like monkeys rejoiced over building speedily fourteen yojanas the distance of the bridge on the first day.

Characters & Entities

• Setu (bridge)
• Yojana (measure)

FAQs

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

Dharma is joyful diligence—when the goal is righteous, effort becomes both swift and wholehearted.

What is the narrative situation?

The text reports the measurable progress of the bridge: fourteen yojanas completed on day one.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Enthusiastic industry (praharsa + tvara): delight expressed through effective work.