Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 40, Shloka 12

सगरपुत्राणां रसातलगमनम्

The Descent of Sagara’s Sons and the Wrath of Kapila

Devanagari script

खन्यमाने ततस्तस्मिन् ददृशु: पर्वतोपमम्।।।।दिशागजं विरूपाक्षं धारयन्तं महीतलम्।

Transliteration

khanyamāne tatas tasmin dadṛśuḥ parvatopamam |

diśā-gajaṃ virūpākṣaṃ dhārayantaṃ mahītalam || 1.40.12 ||

Translation

Comme ils creusaient davantage en ce lieu, ils virent Virūpākṣa, l’éléphant gardien d’un quartier, aux yeux étranges, grand comme une montagne, portant la terre.

Word by Word

• khanyamāne: while being excavated
• khanyamāne: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: khan (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present passive participle sense), सप्तमी एकवचन (Locative singular), नपुंसकलिङ्गे/सामान्य-प्रयोगः; ‘खन्यमाने’ = ‘(तस्मिन्) खन्यमाने’ when (it) was being dug

• tataḥ: then; thereafter
• tataḥ: Sambandha/Temporal (सम्बन्ध/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb)

• tasmin: in that (place/region)
• tasmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (singular)

• dadṛśuḥ: they saw; beheld
• dadṛśuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural)

• parvata-upamam: like a mountain
• parvata-upamam: Viśeṣaṇa of karma (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parvata (प्रातिपदिक) + upama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उपमान-निर्देशः), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘पर्वत-उपमम्’ = mountain-like

• diśā-gajam: the quarter-elephant
• diśā-gajam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक) + gaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘दिशां गजः’), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• virūpākṣam: Virūpākṣa (the one with odd eyes)
• virūpākṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: virūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (‘विरूपे अक्षिणी यस्य’), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; नामरूपेण ‘Virūpākṣa’

• dhārayantam: supporting
• dhārayantam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘धारयन्तम्’ = holding/supporting

• mahī-talam: the earth’s surface
• mahī-talam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī (प्रातिपदिक) + tala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘मही-तलम्’ = surface of earth), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Context

Receiving the command of their father, the magnanimous Sagara, his sixty thousand sons ran towards Rasatala (nether world).

Characters & Entities

• Virūpākṣa
• diśāgaja (directional elephant)
• earth (mahī)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes sustaining order: the cosmic image of a being supporting the earth symbolizes stability and responsibility as foundational virtues.

What is the narrative situation?

During their digging, Sagara’s sons reach a cosmic layer and witness the directional elephant Virūpākṣa supporting the earth.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Dhāraṇa (support/sustenance): the ideal of bearing burdens for the welfare of the whole, mirrored in cosmological symbolism.