Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 1, Shloka 71

श्रीमद्रामायणकथासङ्क्षेपः / The Ramayana in Synopsis

Narada’s Summary to Valmiki

Devanagari script

स च सर्वान्समानीय वानरान्वानरर्षभ: ।दिश: प्रस्थापयामास दिदृक्षुर्जनकात्मजाम् ।।।।

Transliteration

sa ca sarvān samānīya vānarān vānararṣabhaḥ |

diśaḥ prasthāpayāmāsa didṛkṣur janakātmajām ||

Translation

Et Sugrīva, le plus éminent des chefs vānara, rassembla tous les vānara et les dépêcha vers les quatre directions, avide de retrouver Sītā, fille de Janaka.

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• sarvān: all
• sarvān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural (बहुवचन); used adjectivally qualifying vānarān

• samānīya: having assembled
• samānīya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√nī (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), ‘having brought together/summoned’

• vānarān: monkeys
• vānarān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vānararṣabhaḥ: best of monkeys
• vānararṣabhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara + ṛṣabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘vānarāṇām ṛṣabhaḥ’); Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• diśaḥ: directions
• diśaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural (बहुवचन)

• prasthāpayāmāsa: dispatched/sent forth
• prasthāpayāmāsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√sthā (धातु)
• Form: Causative (णिच्) + Periphrastic perfect (लिट्/परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• didṛkṣuḥ: desirous to see
• didṛkṣuḥ: Hetu/Prayojana (हेतु/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Desiderative adjective (सन्नन्त/इच्छार्थक), Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; qualifying saḥ/vānararṣabhaḥ

• janakātmajām: Janaka's daughter (Sītā)
• janakātmajām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janaka + ātmajā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘janakasya ātmajā’); Feminine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular

Context

The best of monkeys (Sugriva) gathered his monkey forces and despatched them in various directions in search of Janaka's daughter (Sita).

Characters & Entities

• Sugrīva
• Vānara
• Sītā
• Janaka

FAQs

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

Dharma here is organized duty in service of a just cause: Sugrīva mobilizes resources responsibly to aid Rāma in the righteous task of locating Sītā.

What is the narrative situation?

After alliance with Rāma, Sugrīva gathers the Vānara forces and sends search parties in all directions to locate Sītā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sugrīva’s leadership and commitment to alliance-dharma (keeping faith with Rāma by acting decisively).