Valmiki Ramayana 3.5.21 — Aranya Kanda, Sarga 5, Shloka 21

शरभङ्गाश्रमगमनम् तथा इन्द्रदर्शनम्

Approach to Sarabhanga’s Hermitage and the Vision of Indra

Devanagari script

ततस्समभिगच्छन्तं प्रेक्ष्य रामं शचीपतिः।शरभङ्गमनुप्राप्य विविक्त इदमब्रवीत्।।3.5.21।।

Transliteration

tatas samabhigacchantaṃ prekṣya rāmaṃ śacīpatiḥ |

śarabhaṅgam anuprāpya vivikte idam abravīt || 3.5.21 ||

Translation

Entonces Śacīpati (Indra), al ver que Rāma se acercaba, fue a Śarabhaṅga y le dijo en privado estas palabras.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम-अव्यय (then/from there)

• समभिगच्छन्तम्: approaching
• समभिगच्छन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-अभि-गम् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकर्तरि कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifying रामम्; ‘approaching’

• प्रेक्ष्य: having seen
• प्रेक्ष्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-ईक्ष् (धातु) + त्वा/ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having seen’

• रामम्: Rama
• रामम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• शचीपतिः: Śacī's lord (Indra)
• शचीपतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शची + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: शच्याः पतिः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Indra

• शरभङ्गम्: Sarabhanga
• शरभङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरभङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object of अनुप्राप्य

• अनुप्राप्य: having reached
• अनुप्राप्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-प्र-आप् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having reached’

• विविक्ते: in private
• विविक्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विविक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (स्थाने), सप्तमी, एकवचन; locative ‘in private’

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object of अब्रवीत्

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (imperfect/past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Context

Instructing Lakshmana to wait , Rama went towards Sarabhanga's hermitage.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Indra (Shachipati)
• Sachi
• Sarabhanga

FAQs

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

Dharma of appropriate counsel: Indra chooses a private setting to communicate what concerns Rama’s mission, showing that truthful speech should also be timely, measured, and context-sensitive.

What is the narrative situation?

Indra notices Rama approaching and privately consults Sarabhanga before Rama arrives.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discretion—Indra’s careful handling of sensitive matters.