Valmiki Ramayana 1.39.4 — Bala Kanda, Sarga 39, Shloka 4

सगरयज्ञाश्वहरणम्

The Stolen Sacrificial Horse of Sagara

Devanagari script

शङ्करश्वशुरो नाम हिमवानचलोत्तम:।विंध्यपर्वतमासाद्य निरीक्षेते परस्परम्।।1.39.4।।

Transliteration

śaṅkaraśvaśuro nāma himavān acalottamaḥ |

viṁdhyaparvatam āsādya nirīkṣete parasparam || 1.39.4 ||

Translation

Himavān, el más excelso de los montes, llamado el suegro de Śaṅkara, se acercó a la cordillera Vindhya, y ambos se contemplaron mutuamente.

Word by Word

• शङ्कर-श्वशुरः: Śaṅkara's father-in-law
• शङ्कर-श्वशुरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṅkara (प्रातिपदिक) + śvaśura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (śaṅkarasya śvaśuraḥ)

• नाम: named
• नाम: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामनिर्देशक

• हिमवान्: Himavān (Himalaya)
• हिमवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: himavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अचल-उत्तमः: best of mountains
• अचल-उत्तमः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: acala (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (acalānām uttamaḥ = best of mountains)

• विन्ध्य-पर्वतम्: the Vindhya mountain
• विन्ध्य-पर्वतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vindhya (प्रातिपदिक) + parvata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (vindhyaḥ parvataḥ)

• आसाद्य: having approached
• आसाद्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā-√sad (धातु) → āsādya (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund); ‘having approached/reached’

• निरीक्षेते: they behold
• निरीक्षेते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-√īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present); प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन; आत्मनेपद

• परस्परम्: each other
• परस्परम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paraspara (अव्ययवत्/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; परस्परवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (reciprocal adverb: each other)

Context

O Foremost among men (Rama)! the princes while thus excavating Jambu dweepa, inthis way filled with mountains, moved around everywhere.

Characters & Entities

• Himavān (Himalaya)
• Vindhya
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)

FAQs

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

Dharma is implicit as order and harmony in creation: the narrative locates human ritual action within a stable cosmic geography shaped by sacred beings and places.

What is the narrative situation?

Viśvāmitra describes the setting: the great mountains Himavān and Vindhya stand facing each other, framing the region where the sacrifice will occur.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Not a personal virtue but a theme of “maryādā” (proper bounds): mighty forces (mountains) stand in ordered relation, foreshadowing the importance of right limits in action.