Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 47, Shloka 1

दितेर्गर्भभङ्गो मरुत्प्रतिष्ठा च

Diti’s Severed Embryo and the स्थापना of the Maruts; Viśālā-nagara Lineage

Devanagari script

सप्तधातु कृते गर्भे दिति: परमदु:खिता।सहस्राक्षं दुराधर्षं वाक्यं सानुनयाऽब्रवीत्।।।।

Transliteration

sapta-dhātu-kṛte garbhe ditiḥ parama-duḥkhitā | sahasrākṣaṃ durādharṣaṃ vākyaṃ sānunayā ’bravīt || 1.47.1 ||

Translation

Lorsque son embryon eut été tranché en sept parts, Diti—accablée d’une douleur profonde—adressa des paroles douces et conciliantes à l’invincible Indra aux mille yeux.

Word by Word

• सप्तधा: into seven parts / sevenfold
• सप्तधा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सप्तधा (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• तु: but / indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/indeed)

• कृते: when (it was) done/cut
• कृते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; ‘कृते’ = ‘having been done/cut’ (locative absolute with गर्भे)

• गर्भे: in the embryo / in the womb
• गर्भे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; locative absolute context

• दितिः: Diti
• दितिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• परमदुःखिता: extremely distressed
• परमदुःखिता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम-दुःखित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; दितिः इति विशेषण

• सहस्राक्षम्: Indra (the thousand-eyed)
• सहस्राक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र-अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (‘सहस्रम् अक्षाणि यस्य’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• दुराधर्षम्: unassailable
• दुराधर्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्-आधर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उपपद/नञ्-न; here दुर्वाचक उपसर्ग ‘दुर्’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सहस्राक्षम् इति विशेषण

• वाक्यम्: words / speech
• वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• सानुनया: with entreaty / conciliatingly
• सानुनया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-अनुनय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सह/स- उपसर्गार्थ ‘with’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; साधन/रीतिवाचक (with entreaty)

• अब्रवीत्: spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Context

Deeply distressed Diti, having come to know that the embryo had been severed into seven pieces, humbly spoke to the unassailable Indra.

Characters & Entities

• Diti
• Indra (Sahasrākṣa)

FAQs

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

Dharma emphasizes restraint in speech even in suffering: Diti responds with conciliatory words rather than vengeance, modeling self-control.

What is the narrative situation?

After Indra’s act results in the embryo being divided into seven, Diti addresses Indra in a pacifying manner.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Forbearance (kṣamā) and measured speech (vāg-saṃyama) in the face of grievous loss.