Valmiki Ramayana 2.46.12 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 46, Shloka 12

तमसातीरवासः

Night on the Bank of the Tamasa and the Stratagem to Elude the Citizens

Devanagari script

सोऽश्वान्सुमन्त्रः संयम्य सूर्येऽस्तं समुपागते।प्रभूतयवसान् कृत्वा बभूव प्रत्यनन्तरः।।2.46.12।।

Transliteration

so ’śvān sumantraḥ saṁyamya sūrye ’staṁ samupāgate | prabhūta-yavasān kṛtvā babhūva pratyanantaraḥ ||2.46.12||

Translation

Cuando el sol se puso, Sumantra sujetó a los caballos, les dio abundante cebada como forraje y permaneció sentado muy cerca de ellos.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; सर्वनाम

• अश्वान्: horses
• अश्वान्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• सुमन्त्रः: Sumantra
• सुमन्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुमन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; apposition to सः

• संयम्य: having tethered
• संयम्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + यम् (धातु; ‘to restrain/tether’)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्यय; ‘having restrained/tethered’

• सूर्ये: when the sun
• सूर्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative absolute member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• अस्तम्: to setting
• अस्तम्: Gati (गति/goal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अस्तम् (अव्यय/निपात; ‘to setting’)
• Form: गत्यर्थक-अव्यय (directional/goal adverb)

• समुपागते: having approached (i.e., at sunset)
• समुपागते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative absolute)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + उप + आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (Past participle), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute) = ‘when (it) had approached’

• प्रभूतयवसान्: abundant fodder
• प्रभूतयवसान्: Karma (कर्म/object of कृत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभूत + यवस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; कर्मधारय: प्रभूतं यवसं = abundant fodder

• कृत्वा: having provided
• कृत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्यय; ‘having made/provided’

• बभूव: became/was
• बभूव: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• प्रत्यनन्तरः: close by, nearby
• प्रत्यनन्तरः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/ अवस्था)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रति + अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव: प्रत्यनन्तर = ‘in close proximity’; used adjectivally with बभूव

Context

As the Sun was setting, Sumantra tethered the horses, fed them with abundant fodder and sat close to them.

Characters & Entities

• Sumantra
• Surya (Sun)
• horses

FAQs

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

Dharma here appears as conscientious service (seva): Sumantra responsibly cares for the horses and remains attentive, showing duty performed without neglect even in hardship.

What is the narrative situation?

At dusk during the journey away from Ayodhya, the charioteer Sumantra makes practical arrangements—securing and feeding the horses—before the night’s rest.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reliability and caretaking: Sumantra’s steady, detail-oriented service and vigilance.