Valmiki Ramayana 2.89.18 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 89, Shloka 18

गङ्गातरणम्

Bharata’s Ferrying of the Army across the Ganga

Devanagari script

ता स्स्म गत्वा परं तीरमवरोप्य च तं जनम्।निवृत्ताः काण्डचित्राणि क्रियन्ते दाशबन्धुभिः।।।।

Transliteration

tāḥ sma gatvā paraṃ tīram avaropya ca taṃ janam | nivṛttāḥ kāṇḍacitrāṇi kriyante dāśabandhubhiḥ ||

Translation

Having reached the far bank and set the people down, the boats returned; and the fisherfolk displayed their skill, tracing artful manoeuvres and patterns with their craft.

Word by Word

• ताः: they (those women/boats etc., context-dependent)
• ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• स्म: indeed/then (narrative particle)
• स्म: Sambandha (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात, भूतार्थे/अनुस्मरणार्थे (often with past narration)

• गत्वा: having gone/reached
• गत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• परम्: other/farther
• परम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of तीरम्

• तीरम्: bank/shore
• तीरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अवरोप्य: having disembarked (them)
• अवरोप्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव√रुह् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); causative sense in context: 'having made (them) disembark'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• तम्: that
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जनम्: people/men
• जनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निवृत्ताः: returned
• निवृत्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि√वृत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; used predicatively

• काण्डचित्राणि: decorated structures/rafts
• काण्डचित्राणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काण्डचित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समास: काण्डानि एव चित्राणि (decorated/variegated poles/rafts)

• क्रियन्ते: are made/are performed
• क्रियन्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense): 'are made/done'

• दाशबन्धुभिः: by the fisherfolk/boatmen
• दाशबन्धुभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दाशबन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: दाशानां बन्धवः (fisherfolk/boatmen)

Context

Having reached the other bank, the men disembarked. While returning, the fisherfolk exhibited their craft of lovely formations.

Characters & Entities

• boats

FAQs

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

Dharma includes excellence in one’s craft used for others’ benefit—skill becomes a form of service when applied to safe transport and orderly return.

What is the narrative situation?

After dropping passengers on the far bank, the boatmen turn back and demonstrate confident control of their boats.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The boatmen’s mastery and disciplined coordination.