Shloka 18

सुपर्णागमनम्

Garuda’s Arrival and the Release from the Serpent-Arrow Bond

Devanagari script

ययोर्वीर्यमुपाश्रित्यप्रतिष्ठाकाङ्क्षितामया ।तावुभौदेहनाशायप्रसुप्तौपुरुषर्षभौ ।।6.50.18।।

Transliteration

yayor vīryam upāśritya pratiṣṭhākāṅkṣitā mayā |

tāv ubhau dehanāśāya prasuptau puruṣarṣabhau || 6.50.18 ||

Translation

Auf deren Tapferkeit vertrauend ich Ehre und Ansehen suchte – diese beiden Stiere unter den Menschen liegen nun wie schlafend da, ihre Körper dem Untergang nahe.

Word by Word

• ययोः: of whom (of the two)
• ययोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), द्विवचन (Dual), सर्वनाम

• वीर्यम्: valor, strength
• वीर्यम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• उपाश्रित्य: having relied on
• उपाश्रित्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आ-श्रि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having resorted to/depending on’

• प्रतिष्ठा: renown, standing
• प्रतिष्ठा: विशेष्य (Head noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• काङ्क्षिता: desired
• काङ्क्षिता: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काङ्क्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (Past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘desired’ (agreeing with प्रतिष्ठा)

• मया: by me
• मया: कर्ता (Agent in passive sense/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• तौ: those two
• तौ: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), द्विवचन

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘both’ (agreeing with तौ/पुरुषर्षभौ)

• देह-नाशाय: for bodily destruction
• देह-नाशाय: प्रयोजन (Purpose/अर्थे चतुर्थी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक) + नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (dehasya nāśaḥ), पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; ‘for the destruction of the body’

• प्रसुप्तौ: lying unconscious/asleep
• प्रसुप्तौ: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-स्वप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘asleep/unconscious’

• पुरुषर्षभौ: two bulls among men
• पुरुषर्षभौ: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (puruṣāṇām ṛṣabhau), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

Context

On hearing Sugriva's question, Angada the son of Vali said, "Did you not see Dasaratha's sons Rama and chariot warrior Lakshmana, the great souls lying on a bed of arrows bathed in blood?"

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma is expressed as fidelity to rightful refuge: Vibhīṣaṇa’s lament underscores the moral gravity of taking shelter in the righteous and the pain when that shelter seems shaken.

What is the narrative situation?

Seeing Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa struck down, Vibhīṣaṇa grieves that the very heroes he depended upon now lie unconscious and grievously wounded.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vibhīṣaṇa’s loyalty and truthfulness—he openly acknowledges whom he relied on and the depth of his dependence.