Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 42, Shloka 9

गङ्गावतरण-प्रार्थना

Bhagīratha’s Petition for the Descent of Gaṅgā

Devanagari script

अगत्वा निश्चयं राजा तेषामुद्धरणं प्रति ।व्याधिना नरशार्दूल कालधर्ममुपेयिवान्।।1.42.9।।

Transliteration

agatvā niścayaṃ rājā teṣām uddharaṇaṃ prati |

vyādhinā naraśārdūla kāladharmam upeyivān || 1.42.9 ||

Translation

Ô tigre parmi les hommes, le roi—sans être parvenu à une décision arrêtée quant à leur délivrance—tomba malade et se soumit à la loi du temps, c’est-à-dire à la mort.

Word by Word

• अगत्वा: not having reached
• अगत्वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (गम्) धातु
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), नञ्-पूर्वक (a-gatvā = 'not having reached')

• निश्चयम्: a decision/conclusion
• निश्चयम्: Karma (कर्म; object of अगत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niścaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः; of them)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• उद्धरणम्: deliverance/rescue
• उद्धरणम्: Karma (कर्म; object with प्रति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uddharaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• प्रति: towards/about
• प्रति: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः; relation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prati (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्गसदृश-पूर्वपद/उपपद-अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable: 'towards/about')

• व्याधिना: by illness
• व्याधिना: Karaṇa (करण; cause/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyādhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• नरशार्दूल: O tiger among men
• नरशार्दूल: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन; address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara + śārdūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (narāṇāṃ śārdūlaḥ)

• कालधर्मम्: death (the fate of time)
• कालधर्मम्: Karma (कर्म; object of उपेयिवान्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla + dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (kālasya dharmaḥ = 'the law of time' i.e., death)

• उपेयिवान्: attained/went to
• उपेयिवान्: Karta (कर्ता; predicate of राजा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: i (इ) धातु + upa (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्तवांस्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (perfective past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'having gone to/attained'

Context

O Tiger among men! king Dilipa was unable to arrive at a conclusion regarding thesalvation of his ancestors.He was affected by illness and died.

Characters & Entities

• Dilīpa
• Rāma
• Kāla (Time/Death)

FAQs

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

Time is uncompromising; therefore dharma demands timely action and transmission of unresolved duties to worthy successors.

What is the narrative situation?

Dilīpa dies before resolving how to save his ancestors, leaving the task to Bhagīratha.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sobriety about mortality and the seriousness of vows—one must act before kāla closes the opportunity.